UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT  LOS  ANGELES 


THE    BLACKWALL    FRIGATES 


THE 

BLACKWALL   FRIGATES 


BY 


BASIL    LUBBOCK 

Author    of    "The    China    Clippers":     "The    Colonial    Clippers, 
'•Round  the  Horn  before  the  Mast";        "Jack  Derringer, 
a  Tale  of  Deep  Water" ;  and  "Deep  Sea  Warriors" 


WITH    ILLUSTRATIONS  AND    PLANS 


BOSTON 
CHARLES  E.   LAURIAT  CO. 

BOOKSELLERS,  IMPORTERS  AND   PUBLISHERS 


PRINTED  IN  QREAT  BRITAIN. 


Printed  and  bound  in  Great  Britain  by 
JAMES   BROWN    &   SON    (Glasgow)    Ltd. 
Nautical  Publishers 
52-58  Darnley  Street.  Glasgow 

First  printed  tn  1922 


^ 


'^ 


VK5T 


Dedication 


Dedicated  to  the  Blackwall  MidsUpmiie. 


i7914J_ 


PREFACE 

The  Blackwall  frigates  form  a  connecting  link  between 
the  lordly  East  Indiaman  of  the  Honourable  John 
Company  and  the  magnificent  P.  &  O.  and  Orient 
liners  of  the  present  day. 

They  were  first-class  ships— well-run,  happy  ships, 
and  the  sailor  who  started  his  sea  life  as  a  midshipman 
aboard  a  Blackwaller  looked  back  ever  afterwards  to 
his  cadet  days  as  the  happiest  period  of  his  career. 

If  discipline  was  strict,  it  was  also  just.  The  train- 
ing was  superb,  as  witness  the  number  of  Blackwall 
midshipmen  who  reached  the  head  of  their  profession 
and  distinguished  themselves  later  in  other  walks  of 
life.  Indeed,  as  a  nursery  for  British  seamen,  we  shall 
never  see  the  like  of  these  gallant  little  frigates. 

The  East  still  calls,  yet  its  glamour  was  twice  as 
alluring,  its  vista  twice  as  romantic,  in  the  days  of 
sail;  and  happy  indeed  was  the  boy  who  first  saw  the 
shores  of  India  from  the  deck  of  one  of  Green's  or 
Smith's  passenger  ships. 

Fifty  years  ago,   the   lithographs  of    the  celebrated 

Blackwall  liners  to  India  and  Australia  could  be  bought 

at  any  seaport  for  a  few  shillings.     Nowadays,   these 

old  ship  portraits  are  eagerly  snapped  up  by  a  growing 

vii 


viii  PREFACE 

army  of  collectors  and  have  become  very  hard  to  find 
and  very  expensive  to  buy,  I  therefore  hope  that  the 
illustrations  in  this  book  will  be  appreciated. 

The  design  plans  give  an  indication  of  our  advance 
in  naval  architecture — an  advance  which  is  little  short 
of  amazing,  when  one  remembers  that  there  are  still 
many  men  alive  who  served  on  these  old  ships — ships 
which  were  more  akin  to  the  adventurous  keels  of  Drake 
and  Dampier  than  to  the  giant  boxes  of  machinery 
afloat  to-day. 

My  thanks  are  due  to  these  old  seamen,  survivors  of 
a  by-gone  era,  for  all  their  help  and  interest,  and  if 
this  book  is  able  to  bring  back  a  happy  memory  to  a 
single  one  of  them,  my  task  will  not  have  been  in  vain. 


CONTENTS 


P)(3S 

Introduction       ..------i 


PART  I.— HISTORY  OF  THE  BLACKWALL  YARD.   IGll 
The  Blackwall  Yard  ...--- 

The  Pioneer  Ship  of  the  Yard— The  Globe 
Sir  Henry  Johnson  the  Elder      -  -  ■  -  - 

King's  Ships  built  at  Blackwall  in  the  Seventeentn  Century 
Prince  Rupert  visits  the  Blackwall  Yard 
Pepysian  Anecdotes  ...--- 

"  Old  Hob  "  -  

Johnson  the  Younger        .-..-- 
Indiamen  of  the  Eighteenth  Century     -  -  -  - 

Liberality  of  the  East  India  Company 

John  Perry  ....--- 

The  Brunswick  Dock  and  Masthouse     -  -  •  - 

The  Friend  of  the  Family  .  .  .  •  - 

King  George  III.  drinks  with  a  "  True  Blue  " 
George  Green         ...---- 

Sir  Robert  Wigram  ...--- 

The  General  Goddard.  East  Indiaman 

The  True  Briton,  East  Indiaman  -  -  -  -  -     40 

East  Indiamen  owned  by  Sir  Robert  Wigram  -  -  -     42 

The  Last  of  John  Company's  East  Indiamen  -  -  -  -     44 

Henry  Green  apprenticed  as  a  Shipwright        -  -  -     46 

The  Cam  Brae  CdiSi\ti       -  -  -  -  "  '  "     ''^ 

The  Sir  Edward  Paget,  Pioneer  Ship  of  Green  s  Blackwall  Lins       -     46 
The  Origin  of  Green's  House-Flag  -  -  -  -  '     ^'^ 

The  Pa^s/ run  Man-of-War  Fashion       -  -  -  -  -     -^^ 

The  Shipwrights'  Strike  on  the  Thames  -  -  -  *     ^^ 

PART  II.— A  VOYAGE  OUT  EAST  IN  THE  GOOD  OLD 
DAYS. 

The  Merchant  Service       -           -           -  ■  •           "  -49 

East  India  Shipping  Notice         -           •  '  -        ,    -  -     RO 

An  India  Husband            •           -            '  •  '            *  '     ^^ 

The  Earl  of  EaUarres                   •    ,       •  '  •           '  '     ^^ 


836 
24 


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CONTENTS 


Fast  Passages  of  East  Indiamen 

Smuggling  on  an  East  Indiaman 

Passage  Money  and  Cabin  Furniture     - 

The  London  River  in  1830 

Gecrdie  Brigs         ■  .  .  .  . 

The  Betsy  Cams  .... 

The  Brotheyly  Lovt  .... 

Geordie  Characteristics     -.-... 
Heavy  Horsemen.  Light  Horsemen  and  River  Pirates 
Shipping  in  the  River       ...  ... 

A  Typical  East  Indiaman  -  .  .  .  . 

The  Commander  of  an  East  Indiaman  and  his  Emoluments 
Officers'  Allowances  in  the  H.E.I.C.       .... 

The  Foremast  Hands  of  an  Indiaman 

An  Indiaman  leaving  Gravesend  .... 

A  Farmyard  at  Sea  -  .... 

Getting  underweigh  ...... 

All  in  the  Downs   ....... 

Sail  Drill  ....... 

Down  Channel       --.... 

The  Last  Sailing  Ships  in  the  Royal  Navy 

The  Syraondites     ....... 

Joseph  White  of  Cowes    •-.... 

Routine  aboard  an  Indiaman      ..... 

Pirates         --.-.... 

The  Black  Joke  and  Benito  de  Soto       .... 

Madeira       -.--.,.. 
Tapping  the  Admiral        .--... 
Calcutta  and  the  Hooghly  River  in  the  Days  of  John  Company 
St   Helena  Festivities       ---... 

PART  III— THE  BLACKWALLERS. 

The  Divided  Interests  of  Green  and  Wigram 
Dicky  Green  ..... 

Money  Wigrara  &  Sons 
Joseph  Somes         ..... 

The  Old  Java 

T   &  W.  Smith 

Duncan  Dunbar    -  -  -  .  . 

The  Captains  of  the  Biackvvall  Frigates 
Discipline  -  -  .  .  . 

Midshipmen  ..... 

Crews  ..... 

Passengers  .... 


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CONTENTS  xi 


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-  140 


Ship  Races  .•-••" 

Calcutta  and  its  Shipping  .  -  •  -  - 

Madras        .----** 

The  Australian  Boom       ---''' 
The  Design  of  the  Blackwall  Frigates    -  -  -  - 

Sail  and  Rigging  Plans     -  ■  *  " 

Seaworthiness        --""'"' 
Speeds  of  the  Blackwallers  compared 

Cyclones      -  -  ■  '  " 

Ffi^MOW  in  a  Cyclone,  1843  -  ■  '  '  " 

iV:/oKa>-c;!  in  the  Calm  Centre,  1845 

Fourteen  Persons  Suffocated  aboard  the  Mana  homts  -  -  141 

Earl  of  Hardvuickc's  Cyclone  Log  -  -  "  " 

The  Dark  Blood-red  Cyclone  Sky  -  -  -  " 

Dampier's  Hurricane  Cloud         -  - 

Calcutta  Cyclone,  1864     -  -  -  "  \^      ,.      ^ 

Hotspur  and  Alnwtck  Castle  nde  out  a  Cyclone  at  the  sandheads 

St.  Lawrence  in  the  Madras  Cyclone  of  1871     - 

The  Old  Seruigapaiam      ----"' 

The  Mystery  of  the  Madagascar  -  -  "  " 

Owen  Glendower--  T  can  call  spirits  from  the  vasty  deep  • 

Agtncourt—\  Midshipman's  Log  -  -  -  ' 

Prince  of  Wales  and  Queen— ^Tmed  Merchantmen     - 

Bucephalus  and  Ellenborough      -  -  -  •  ' 

Gloriar.a  and  Tudor  ---"'* 

The  Lordly  Monarch         ---""' 

The/i//>-e(i—Lccky's  First  Ship  .  -  •  - 

Marlborough's  Fast  Voyage  to  Australia 

A  Race  to  India  in  1853  ----"' 

The  Burning  of  the  Sutle]  .  ,  ■  - 

The  Blenheim  in  a  Cyclone  -  •  ■  -  - 

Dress  on  the  Trafalgar     -  ,  .  -  - 

The  Loss  of  the  Dalkousie  •  •  '  ' 

Origin  of  Marshall's  House- Flag  ^  =  -  - 

Toynbee's  Hotspur  -  '  ' 

y^K^/esey's  famous  Figurehead     -  -  -  ■  " 

Fast  Voyage  to  Melbourne  and  back  by  the  A  nglesey 

Roxburgh  Castle  and  Will  Terris  -  -  ■  " 

The  Northfleei  Tragedy     -  -  • 

The  famous  Kent  -  -  - 

Captain  Clayton  -  -  '  '  '  ^^^ 

Rowing  a  Thousand-ton  Ship     -  -  '  * 

Captain  Clayton  uses  Oil  in  a  Cape  Horn  Gale  -  ■  -  !»' 

Kent's  Narrow  Escape  from  Icebergs    - 


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xii  CONTENTS 


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The  Wreck  of  the  Dunbar  -  ■  -  •  ' 

Willis*  Wonder.  The  Tweed         -  -  -  '  ' 

Punjaub  takes  the  10th  Hussars  to  the  Crimea 

The  Punjaub  and  Assaye  in  the  Persian  War 

PM)j/aM6  in  the  Indian  Mutiny  -  •  "  ■ 

Laying  the  Indo-European  Cable  in  the  Persian  Gulf 

Captain  Stuart  of  The  Tweed      -  -  -  -  " 

Some  Sailing  Records  of  The  Tweed 230 

The  Sunderland-built  Blackwallers 235 

The  old  La  Hogue  .-.-•■ 

The  Agamemnon  ------ 

The  Burning  of  the  Eastern  Monarch    -  -  -  ■ 

Alnwick  Castle.  Clarence  and  Dover  Castle        -  -  -  -238 

Blackwallers  in  the  Coolie  Trade  -  -  -  -  -  239 

-  240 

Newcastle    -  -  ■  '  ' 

Windsor  Castle       -  - 2*^ 

Extracts  from  the  Log  of  the  Windsor  Castle  -  -  -  246 

Dismasting  of  the  Windsor  Castle  -  -  -  -  -  250 

The  Ghost  of  the  Norfolk  -  -  -  -  -  -  262 

The  Speedy  Suffolk 264 

The  Wreck  of  the  Duncan  Dunbar         -----  264 

Tyburnias  Pleasure  Cruise  -  -  -  -  -  "264 

The  old  Holmsdale  -  -  -  -  "  '  "266 

A  Cargo  of  the  Lincolnshire         ..----  266 

The  Coolie  Ship  Lmcelles  -  -  -  -  "  "267 

The  Lady  Melville  and  the  Great  Comet  of  18G1  -  -  -  267 

The  Yorkshire's  Madman  ------  269 

A  Tragedy  of  Sea  Sickness  •  -  -  -  -  -  270 

A  Shark  Story -  -  271 

Renown  and  Malabar        -  -  -  -  -  -  -  272 

Passages  to  Melbourne  1860  (Comparison  between  London  Frigate- 
built  Ships  and  Liverpool  Clipper-built  Ships)         -  -  -  273 

Blackwallersof  1861 274 

St.  Lawrence  .-.-----  275 

Shannon  and  the  Lord  Warden    ------  273 

An  -Apprentice's  Joke       ..-.---  278 
The  two  Essex's    --------  279 

The  Last  of  the  Dunbars  -  -  -  -  -  -  280 

Devitt  &  Moore's  Parramatta      .-.---  281 
The  Iron  Blackwaller  Superb      ......  282 

A  Passenger's  Log  ....---  283 

The  Salving  of  the  Superb 287 

The  Carlisle  Castle  - 233 

Macquarie  {ex-Melbourne)— The  Last  of  the  Blackwallcrs     -  -  290 


CONTENTS  xiii 

APPENDICES. 
Appendix     1.— The  Blackwall  Frigates  -  .  •  -  299 

II. — Old  Station  Lists        .....  394 

»  HI- — Abstract  Log  of  the  Hotspur.  London  to  Calcutta, 

18G3 310 

».  IV. — Abstract  Log  of   The   Tweed.   First   Passage  to 

Melbourne.  1873     -  -  .  .  .  314 

»  V. — Abstract  Log  of  Holmsdale,  Melbourne  to  London, 

1883 317 

..  VI. — Sail  Area  and  Spar  Plan  of  the  Clarence  •  -  324 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


The  Commands  of  Captain  Methven— Ships:  Mor, 
Fori  William,  Marlborough,  Valetta,  Celestial, 
Blenheim,  Charles  Forbes  and  Charlotte 

Brunswick  Dock  and  Masthouse 

George  Green     ------ 

Sir  Robert  VVigram,  Bart.,  M.P. 

Launch  of  the  Edinburgh  at  BlackwaH  Yard 

Earl  of  Balcarres — East  Indiaman     - 

Devonshire — East  Indiaman    -  -  -  • 

L'Antonio — Tlie    celebrated    piratical    slaver    and 
other  black  craft  lying  in  the  Bonny  River 

Dicky  Green       ------ 

Captain  Furnell,  of  the  Senngapatam 

Captain  Methven  .  .  -  -  - 

Captain  Toynbee,  of  the  Hotspur 

Captain  E.  Le  Poer  Trench,  of  the  Newcastle 

Captain  Taylor,  of  the  Alnwick  Castle 

The  Esplanade  Moorings,  Calcutta    -  -  - 

Model  of  the  Sailing  Ship  St.  Lawrence 

Shore   of   Ramkistopore   with    Newcastle    and    iS. 
Mauritius    ------ 

Southampton,  after  the  Calcutta  Cyclone,  1864 

Western  Star,  tug  Union  and  Countess  Elgin,  after 
Calcutta  Cyclone,  1 864     .  -  -  - 

St.  Lawrence 

Seringapatam 

Figurehead  of  the  old  "  Seringy'" 

Madagascar 

Owen  Glendower 

Prince  of  Wales 

The  Queen 

Barham 

Monarch 

Alfred      - 

Marlborough 

Blenheim 

Hotspur  - 

xiv 


-  Frontispiece 
To  face  page  34 
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ILLUSTRATIONS 


XV 


A  nglesey  -.--•-- 
Kent  and  the  Tea  Clippers — Kent  in  Foreground, 
Robin  Hood  next,  Elle'n  Rodger  and  Oueensbro    - 
Kent  in  the  Thames       .  -  -  -  - 

Captain  M.  T.  Clayton,  of  the  Keyit   - 
A'^wi  amongst  the  Ice  in  18G1 

A'e«/ passing  Owen  Glendower  {Kent  is  ship  to  right) 
The  Tweed  ..-■■• 

The  Tweed,  ofi  Gravesend 
The  Tweed  under  all  Plain  Sail 
Captain  William  Stuart,  of  The  Tweed 
Agamemnon 
A  Wearside  Shipyard 
Alnwick  Castle 
Newcastle 
La  Hogue 
Windsor  Castle 
Suffolk     ■ 
Duncan  Dunbar 
Holmsdale 
Yorkshire 
Malabar 
Star  of  India 
True  Briton 
St.  Lawrence 
Alumbagh 
Essex 
Superb     ■ 
Parramatia 

Melbourne  (afterwards  Macquane) 
Carlisle  Castle     ■ 
Macquane  (ex- Melbourne) 


To  face  page     1 82 

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PLATES. 


Old  East  India  Flags 
East  India  Ships  - 

10-Gun  Brig  Daring 

TJie  Jolly  Roger 

House-flags 

Key  Plan,  Calcutta  Cyc 

Midship  Section  of  The  Tweed 

Plan  of  Cabins — Ship  Malabar 


To  face  page 


.one,  5th  October,  1864 


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272 


THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

INTRODUCTION. 
"THE  VANISHED  GLORY  OF  THE  SEA.'» 

What  of  the  Ships.  O  Carthage  ! 
Carthage,  what  of  the  Ships? 

IN  considering  the  history  and  development  of  that 
most  wonderful  of  all  the  works  of  man— the  ship, 
one  finds  that  the  subject  can  be  divided  into  six  periods, 
namely : — 

The  Day  of  the  Coracle, 

The  Day  of  the  Galley  Slave, 

The  Golden  Age  of  Sail, 

The  Iron  Age, 

The  Day  of  Steam  and  Steel, 

The  Oil  Age. 
The  sea  has  ever  been  more  conservative  than  the  land, 
for  the  simple  reason  that  at  sea  every  attempt  to  step 
forward  has  to  be  paid  for  in  human  life  rather  than 
coin  of  the  realm. 

Thus  it  is  that  we  find  each  of  these  periods  bringing 
its  own  type  to  perfection  just  at  the  moment  when  the 
following  period  has  become  its  serious  rival.  And 
always  the  old  type  died  hard,  often  living  on  for  years 
after  the  new  had  attained  its  passport  of  utility  and 
had  become  firmly  enthroned  in  its  place. 


2  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

It  has  ever  been  the  proud  boast,  aye,  and  bitter 
cry,  of  old  seamen  that  they  saw  their  own  type  at  its 
perfection  and  at  its  perfection  vanquished  and  turned 
out  of  the  high  road  into  the  low  road  by  the  new  type, 
whose  newness  and  imperfection  they  had  been  forced 
to  know  by  bitter  experience. 

But  this  is  the  law  of  evolution  or  progress— call  it 
what  you  will. 

Think,  in  this  batter'd  Caravanserai 
Whose  Doorways  are  alternate  Night  and  Day, 

How  Sultan  after  Sultan  with  his  Pomp 
Abode  his  Hour  or  two,  and  vent  his  way. 


In  the  evolution  of  the  ship,  I  have  called  the  third 
of  these  periods  the  "Golden  Age  of  Sail  ";  and  it  is 
in  this  period  that  the  Blackwall  Frigates  take  their 
place. 

It  was  a  long  period,  dating  from  Columbus  and 
overlapping  into  the  present  day— a  glorious  period 
of  heroism  and  adventure,  of  great  sea  fights  and 
circumnavigations.  Its  ships  dyed  the  Narrow  Seas 
with  blood  from  their  scupper  holes.  Its  seamen 
made  traverse  after  traverse  until  all  the  coasts  were 
charted,  so  th^t  at  the  present  da}'  the  great  business  of 
the  world  navigator  is  dead  for  want  of  new  lands  to 
discover.  It  was  also  the  age  when  the  ship,  as  a 
work  of  art  and  beauty,  came  to  its  perfection.  We 
can  hardly  realise  in  these  days  the  picturesque  charm 
and  brilliancy  which  were  added  to  the  seascape  by 
masts  and  yards.  Many  of  our  artists  still  cling 
lovingly  to  the  old  wooden  hull,  the  sail  with  its 
rainbow-like  reflections,  and  the  web-like  top-hamper, 
all  curving  in  the  wind.  And  others,  in  spite  of  every 
clever  trick  of  imagery,  fail  to  conceal  the  ugliness  of 


INTRODUCTION  8 

the  present  day  monster,  and  are  obliged  to  introduce 
the  brown  sails  of  fishing  smacks  or  the  gleaming  canvas 
of  a  yacht  in  order  to  bring  life  and  brightness  into 
their  pictures. 

No  other  work  of  man's  hands  can  compete  against 
the  full-rigged  ship  in  artistic  beauty.  She  was  ever 
a  delight  to  the  eye,  not  only  of  the  seaman  but  of  the 
landsman.  Let  us  try  to  visualise  her  through  the 
500  years  of  her  glory,  and  see  what  a  feast  our  artistic 
senses  have  missed,  what  a  pageantry  of  movement  and 
colour  our  ancestors  enjoyed. 

The  first  ship  to  cross  the  horizon  without  oars  is  the 
ship  of  the  Tudors.  Let  us  imagine  her  surging  steadily 
along  before  a  "  fair  gale,"  a  bone  of  white  under  her 
long  beak-head;  note  the  bright  colours  in  her  painted 
sails  and  gaudy  streamers,  note  her  crimson  battle 
cloths  in  the  waist,  her  gilded  tops  and  yellow  sides, 
her  carved  balconies  and  knight-heads.  Her  swivel 
guns  on  the  lofty  fore  and  after  castles,  her  sakers, 
minions,  falcons  and  falconets,  her  fowler  chambers 
and  curtails,  are  damascened  and  inlaid  with  quaint 
mottoes  and  royal  coats-of-arms.  The  gunports  on 
the  main  deck  were  circular  in  those  days,  and  her 
cannon,  demi-cannon  and  culverins  poked  their  grinning 
tompions  through  carved  wreaths  of  gilded  foliage 
along  a  strake  of  sky-blue  paint,  below  which  her 
sides  were  yellow  down  to  a  narrow  black  band  along 
her  water-line. 

Her  Admiral  wore  a  bosun's  whistle  in  token  of  his 
high  office.  Her  gentlemen  adventurers  wore  thigh 
boots  of  deerskin  and  lace-edged  gauntlets,  velvet 
coats  and  lace  collars,  with  ostrich  feathers  in  their 
rakish  hats;  her  men-at-arms  clanked  about  the  deck 
in  coats  of  mail;    whilst  her  "  musique  "  and  trumpets 


4  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

were  all  gloriously  apparelled  in  the  Tudor  coat-of-arms, 
and  her  "tarpaulins"  went  aloft  in  red  sea  caps  and  red 

breeches. 

Such  a  ship  as  the  Great  Harry  or  the  Henri  Grace  de 
Dieu,  the  Ark-Royal  or  the  Revenge  was  a  very  kaleido- 
scope of  brilliant  colours.  With  her  music  playing 
"  Loath  to  Depart  "  and  her  company  saluting  with  a 
"  great  shout, "  she  passes  with  a  royal  pride,  whilst 
all  the  other  nations  let  fly  their  topgallant  sheets  and 
lower  their  topsails  in  token  that  she  is  "  Mistress  of  the 
Narrow  Seas.  " 

Queen  Elizabeth  owed  much,  if  not  all,  of  her  glory 
and  renown  to  her  ships  and  seamen.  Sea  power, 
then  as  now,  was  the  first  necessity  of  a  great  nation; 
whilst  all  the  crooked  trails  to  the  new  Eldorados  led 
across  the  high  seas — thus  the  education  of  the  noble- 
man, of  the  young  blood,  and  of  the  country  squire  was 
considered  incomplete  unless  a  voyage  had  been  made  to 
the  Spanish  Main  as  a  gentleman  adventurer.  The 
talk,  both  in  Courts  and  taverns,  was  all  of  ships  and 
courses,  cross-staffs  and  quadrants,  bonnets  and 
crowsfeet,  knees  and  timbers — of  scudding  before  fair 
gales  and  lying  a-trie  in  tempests — of  how  to  gain  the 
weather  gauge  and  how  to  avoid  a  foul  hawse.  It  was 
at  this  date  that  so  many  of  the  sea  terms,  now  part 
of  the  English  language,  first  came  to  be  used  by  the 
landlubber.  What  wonder,  then,  that  Shakespeare 
found  himself  perfectly  at  home  with  the  idioms  of  the 
sea,  and  used  them  so  correctly  that  many  a  sailor  has 
declared  that  he  must  have  had  sea  experience.  The 
study  of  navigation,  of  seamanship  and  of  naval  archi- 
tecture, was  not  only  confined  to  the  great  sea  captains 
and  master  shipwrights,  but  was  hotly  debated  on  by 
the  Oueen  and  her  Court,  the  squire  and  his  retainers, 


INTRODUCTION  5 

the  lawyer  and  his  clients,  aye  and  by  the  parson  and 
his  parishioners. 

The  innovations  and  improvements  introduced  during 
this  great  period  of  the  ship's  history  are  given  by 
Sir  Walter  Raleigh. 

They  include  :— 

(1)  The  striking  of  topmasts 

(2)  The  chain   pump 

(3)  Weighing  anchor  by  the  "  capisten  '* 

(4)  New  sails,  such  as 

(a)  bonnet  and  drabler  for  the  courses 
(fe)  topgallant  sails 

(c)  staysails 

(d)  spritsails  and  sprit  topsails. 

Raleigh,  indeed,  was  one  of  the  accoucheurs  at  the 
birth  of  the  full-rigged  ship.  From  his  day  to  the 
present  the  main  essentials  in  the  sail  and  rigging 
plan  of  a  ship  have  not  altered,  and  a  "  tarpaulin  "  of 
Queen  Elizabeth  would  have  found  little  difficulty  in 
handling  one  of  Nelson's  frigates  or  even  a  avooI  clipper, 
neither  would  those  of  us  who  have  trimmed  the  yards 
of  a  four-mast  barque  been  much  adrift  with  Howard's 
flagship,  the  Ark-Royal. 

The  Elizabethan  galleon  was  followed  by  the  stately 
first-rate  of  the  Stuarts,  such  as  the  Sovereign  of  the  Seas, 
better  knoAvn  during  the  Dutch  wars  as  the  Royal 
Sovereign,  one  of  the  stoutest  ships  in  the  Navy  of 
Charles  II. 

Of  the  Stuart  Navy,  there  is  little  that  we  do  not 
know,  thanks  to  Samuel  Pepys,  to  the  two  Dutch 
marine  painters,  William  Van  de  Velde  the  elder  and 
William  Van  de  Velde  the  younger,  and  to  the  many 
beautiful  builders'  models  which  have  survived  to  the 
present  day.  The  two  Van  de  Veldes,  in  many  a 
great  canvas,  have  shown  us  Britain's  battle  line  at 


6  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

close  grips  with  the  French  and  Dutch,  whilst  in  their 
pencil  drawings  and  sketches  of  individual  ships  we 
are  able  to  study  not  only  the  lines  but  also  the  lavish 
ornamentation  which,  in  those  days,  both  in  elaborate 
carving  and  profusion  of  gold  leaf,  was  carried  to  such 
excess  that  regulations  had  at  last  to  be  framed  in  order 
to  limit  the  money  to  be  spent  in  decorative  gingerbread 
work. 

During  the  Dutch  wars  the  Grand  Fleet  of  Great 
Britain  often  numbered  as  many  as  80  sail  of  the  line. 
For  the  first  time  ships  were  manoeuvred  in  the  various 
formations  by  signals  from  the  tlagship,  such  as  the 
following : — 

When  the  Admiral  would  have  all  the  ships  to  fall  into  the  order  of 
"  Battailia.  "  the  Union  flag  shall  be  put  at  the  raizen  peak  of  the  Adm\ral 
ship — at  sight  whereof  the  Admirals  of  other  squadrons  are  to  answer 
it  by  doing  the  like. —  [Duke  of  York's  5u/>/'.V"i;-n/i:rv  Otdft,  1665.) 
To  engage,  a  red  flag  on  the  fore  topmast-head. 
To  make  sail,  a  red  flag  in  the  spritsail  topmast  shrouds. 
To  come  into  the  wake  or  grain  of  us,  a  red  flag  on  the  miien  shrouds. — 

(Spragge's  Sfa  Book.  167-:.1 

The  tactics  of  naval  warfare  are  specially  interesting 
during  the  Dutch  wars  of  the  Restoration. 

Prince  Rupert  and  General  Monck,  the  victors  of 
St.  James'  Day,  the  heroes  of  the  "  Four  Days'  Fight, " 
and  two  of  the  most  stubborn  fighters  of  their  age, 
were  also  the  first  of  British  Admirals  to  make  essay  of 
the  principle  of  "  cutting  off  a  part  of  the  enemy  fleet 
and  containing  the  rest";  at  the  same  time  they  never 
missed  an  opportunity  of  encouraging  individual 
initiative  and  the  immediate  seizure  of  opportunities. 

For  instance.  Prince  Rupert  in  his  "  Additional 
Fighting  Instructions,"  July,  1666,  lays  down  the 
following: — 

To  divide  the  enemy's  fleet. — In  case  the  enemy  have  the  wind  of  u? 
and  we  have  sea  room  enough,  then  we  are  to  keep  the  wmd  as  close 


INTRODUCTION  7 

a?  we  can  lie  until  such  time  as  we  see  an  opportunity  by  gaining  their 
wakes  to  divide  their  fleet;  and  if  the  van  of  our  fleet  find  that  they 
have  the  wake  of  any  part  of  them,  they  are  to  tack  and  to  stand  in, 
and  strive  to  divide  the  enemy's  body,  and  that  squadron  which  shall 
pass  first  being  come  to  the  other  side  is  to  tack  again,  and  the  middle 
squadron  is  to  bear  up  upon  that  part  of  the  enemy  so  divided,  which  the 
last  is  to  second,  either  by  bearing  down  to  the  enemy  or  by  endeavouring 
to  keep  off  those  that  are  to  windward,  as  shall  be  best  for  the  service. 

It  was  Rupert  also  who  laid  down  the  axiom  that 
"  the  destruction  of  the  enemy  must  always  be  made 
the  chief  est  care.  " 

And  in  his  instructions  to  Sir  Edward  Spragge,  his 
Vice-Admiral  in  16G6,  he  says: — 

When  the  Admiral  of  the  Fleet  makes  a  weft  with  his  flag,  the  rest 
of  the  flag  officers  are  to  do  the  like,  and  then  all  the  best  sailing  ships 
are  to  make  what  way  they  can  to  engage  the  enemy,  that  so  the  rear 
of  our  fleet  may  the  better  come  up;  and  so  soon  as  the  enemy  makes 
a  stand  then  they  are  to  endeavour  to  fall  into  the  best  order  they  can. 

We  have  to  wait  for  100  years  or  even  more  before 
we  see  Rupert's  teaching  acted  upon  without  doubt  or 
hesitation,  for  on  the  death  of  the  Prince  the  school 
of  Penn  and  James  II.,  which  laid  down  fixed  and 
formal  rules  for  every  manoeuvre  of  the  sea  fight, 
to  break  away  from  which  was  a  court-martial  offence, 
gained  the  upper  hand  and  thus  killed  all  enterprise 
and  initiative,  tying  the  hands  of  our  Admirals  through 
years  of  indecisive  fighting. 

It  may,  perhaps,  surprise  a  good  many  of  our  sailors  to 
learn  that  the  celebrated  "  Nelson  touch  "  had  been 
partly  thought  out  and  acted  upon  as  far  back  as  the 
days  of  the  Merry  Monarch.* 

'  ^Prince  Rupert's  tactics  on  the  fourth  day  of  the  Four  Days'  Fight 
were  entirely  Nelsonian.  Rupert,  in  fact,  was  a  long  way  ahead  of  his 
times.  Most  people,  who  have  only  half  studied  the  period,  look  upon 
him  as  a  mere  swashbuckling  General  of  Horse,  who  knew  nought  of 
the  sea.  and  even  history  students  have  failed  to  give  him  his  due  as  a 
naval  tactician.  In  sea  tactics  he  was  one  of  the  first  masters  of  the 
age.     He  was  also  a  skilled  navigator  and  the  inventor  of  the  vernier 


8  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

I  seem  lo  have  wandered  a  long  way  from  the 
pageantry  of  the  sea  and  to  have  become  enmeshed 
in  naval  tactics. 

Let  us  imagine  then  what  a  grand  sight  this  mighty 
fleet  of  the  Merry  Monarch's  must  have  been  when  under 
sail  with  all  its  attendant  firc-ships,  bomb-ketches, 
yachts,  hoys  and  shallops.  How  the  great  yellow  hulls 
must  have  gleamed  in  the  sunlight  !  Fancy  too  the 
battle  flags,  as  large  as  topgallant  sails,  showing  like 
red  flames  in  the  sky  as  soon  as  the  enemy  Avas  sighted. 

The  sails  of  the  Stuart  ships,  though  no  longer  gay 
with  religious  and  heraldic  designs,  were  mighty 
cylinders  of  wind,  for  these  ships  were  by  no  means  as 
narrow  in  sail  plan  as  those  of  later  dates,  for  instance 
the  Royal  Sovereign's  mainyard  was  100  feet  long. 

Sir  Thomas  Clifford,  writing  to  Lord  Arlington  from 
on  board  the  flagship  Royal  Charles  on  20th  July,  1666, 
when  the  fleet  under  Rupert  and  Monck  was  putting 
to  sea,  from  refitting  after  the  Four  Days'  Fight, 
wishes: — 

The  King  had  seen  the  Fleet  under  sail  yesterday,  he  would  have  been 
infinitely  pleased.  They  took  up  in  length  9  or  10  miles.  Was  never 
so  pleased  with  any  sight  in  my  Hfe.  There  is  a  new  air  and  vigour  in 
every  man's  countenance,  and  even  the  common  men  cry  out.  "  If  we 
do  not  beat  them  nov.',  we  never  shall  do  it." 

And  on  24th  July,  Silas  Taylor  wrote  from  Harwich : — 

At  4  a.m.  the  English  Fleet  sailed  cheerfully,  beating  drums,  and 
stood  towards  the  King's  Channel  and  Sledway.  At  3  p.m.  the  Fleet 
cleared  itself  of  victuallers  and  stood  after  the  Dutch  by  Longsand  Head, 
lying  close  to  the  wind,  which  was  easterly. 

On  the  following  day  Rupert  and  Albemarle  defeated 

screw  on  the  sextant.  Added  to  which,  he  was  a  real  "  tarpauhn." 
As  a  proof  of  this  last,  there  is  an  account  of  how  he  once  took  the  helm 
of  his  ship,  when  she  was  caught  on  a  lee  shore,  and  steered  her  to  safety, 
although  at  the  time  it  seemed  impossible  that  she  could  weather  the 
rocks  and  the  ship's  company  had  almost  given  up  hope. 


INTRODUCTION  9 

De  Ruyter  and  Van  Tromp  at  the  Battle  of  St.  James' 
Day. 

In  the  days  of  the  Stuarts  our  Mercantile  Marine 
was  small  both  in  the  number  and  the  size  of  its  ships, 
and  we  have  to  wait  until  the  Napoleonic  wars  for  big 
fleets  of  merchant  ships.  Then,  indeed,  the  swarms  ot 
French  privateers  in  the  Channel  compelled  huge 
convoys,  of  which  the  following  reports  from  the  Naval 
Chronicle  give  us  but  a  faint  idea : — 

Plymouth  Report,  10th  December,  1800. —Passed  by  to  the  west- 
ward the  immense  large  fleets  for  Oporto,  the  Straits,  Lisbon  and  the 
West  Indies,  nearly  650  sail  under  convoy  of  the  Sea  Horse,  of  36  guns; 
Maidstone,  32;  Alliance,  44;  Chichester,  ii;  Serapts.  44;  La  Ptque.  44; 
Harpy,  18;  and  Dromedary,  24;  a  dead  calm  took  them  aback  off  the 
Eddystone,  and  the  whole  horizon  was  covered  with  the  floating  com- 
merce of  Albion's  proud  Isles.  The  fog  cleared  off  about  noon,  and 
presented  with  the  setting  sun  a  spectacle  from  the  high  points  of  land 
round  this  port,  at  once  grand,  picturesque  and  interesting  to  every 
lover  of  his  country's  commerce  and  welfare. 

Plymouth  Report,  10th  August,  1801. — This  day  presented  a  most 
beautiful  scene  from  the  Hoe,  200  sail  laj'ing  to,  becalmed  from  horizon 
to  horizon,  of  East  and  West  Indiamen  under  convoy  of  the  Theseus, 
74  guns;  Santa  Margarita,  2Q  g\in%;  and  two  other  frigates.  By  10  a.m. 
a  fine  breeze  from  E.N.E.  sprang  up,  and  the  whole  fleet  by  noon  was 
clear  of  the  Dodman  Point. 

And  here  is  another  testimony  to  the  beauty  of  a  great 

fleet  of  sail  underweigh.      It  is  given  by  Fitchett  in  his 

Fights  for  the  Flag: — 

In  his  Autobiography  Prince  Metternich  tells  how  on  2nd  May,  1794, 
from  the  summit  of  a  hill  behind  Cowes,  he  watched  a  great  and  historic 
spectacle.  More  than  400  ships — great  three-deckers,  smart  frigates, 
bluff -bowed  merchantmen — were  setting  sail  at  once.  Their  tall  masts 
and  wide-spread  canvas  seemed  to  fill  the  whole  sea  horizon.  It 
was  the  Channel  Fleet  under  Lord  Howe,  with  a  huge  convoy  of 
merchantmen. 

"  I  consider  this,"  wrote  Prince  Metternich,  "  the  most  beautiful 
sight  I  have  ever  seen.  I  might  say,  indeed,  the  most  beautiful  that 
human  eyes  have  ever  beheld!  At  a  signal  from  the  Admiral's  ship 
the  merchantmen  unfurled  their  sails,  the  fleet  for  the  West  Indies  turned 
to  the  west,  the  fleet  for  the  East  ladies  passed  to  the  east  side  of  the 


10  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

island,  each  accompanied  with  a  portion  of  the  Royal  Fleet.  Hundreds 
of  vessels  and  boats,  filled  with  spectators,  covered  the  two  roads  a. 
far  as  the  eve  could  reach,  in  the  midst  of  which  the  great  ships  followed 
one  another,  in  the  sam.  manner  as  we  see  great  masses  of  troops  moved 
on  the  parade  ground." 

One's  imagination  can  hardly  grasp  the  varied 
beauty  of  such  a  sight.  I  happen  to  possess  an  old 
wash  drawing  by  Butterworth,  labelled  "  The  British 
Fleet  at  Spithead,  1797, "  and  this  gives  me  a  faint  idea 
of  the   grandeur   of   our  old  wooden  walls  when  seen 

en  masse. 

Butterworth 's  fleet  lie  at  anchor  in  three  lines.  In 
the  first  line  7  three-deckers  and  7  two-deckers  swing  to 
their  great  hempen  cables.  They  hide  the  second  line 
with  the  exception  of  4  ships,  all  two-deckers;  behind 
whom  again  lie  2  frigates,  with  the  entrance  to 
Portsmouth  just  open. 

There  is,  however,  a  great  deal  more  than  its  mere 
beauty  to  interest  a  sailor  in  this  drawing.  The 
rigging  of  each  ship  is  most  carefully  drawn,  the  figure- 
heads are  worth  studying  with  a  magnifying  glass,  and 
more  than  a  hint  is  given  of  the  colouring.  To  anyone 
who  has  ever  been  to  sea  with  masts  and  yards,  the 
riggers'  work  on  any  ship  is  always  a  source  of  never- 
failing  interest.  Let  me  therefore  attempt  to  give  a 
slight  sketch  of  the  various  changes  which  have  taken 
place  in  the  sails  and  rigging  of  a  full-rig  ship  between 
the  days  of  the  Tudors  and  those  of  the  Blackwall 
frigates. 

Let  us  begin  forward.  The  Tudor  bowsprit  was  only 
used  to  stay  the  foremast.  It  had  a  good  steeve  to  it 
and  must  have  been  a  very  hefty  spar — so  hefty  indeed 
that  before  very  long  a  large  square  sail,  called  a 
spritsail,  was  set  about  half-way  out  underneath  it. 

The  next  innovation,  during  the  reign  of  James  I., 


Old  East  India  Company  Flags, 

I  6  8  O  - 1 7  O  O .        (f^rom  an  0/dMenuscrifit.) 


DRESS    FLAGS   FOR   MAIN 


II 

^                RA 

RE 

NATI  ONAL 
JACK  . 


EAST  INDIA 
JACK. 


ENSIGN  ON    FLAG-STAFF. 


INTRODUCTION  11 

was  to  place  a  round  top  at  the  end  of  the  bowsprit  or 
boltsprit,  on  which  a  flagstaff  was  stepped.  This 
flagstaff  was  sufficiently  large  on  the  "great  ships"  to 
support  a  small  square  sail,  and  so  the  first  sprit  topsail 
came  into  being.  This  in  its  turn  led  to  another 
pole  being  fidded  onto  the  old  flagstaff,  in  order  to  carry 
the  jack,  whose  place  had  been  taken  by  the  sprit 
topsail.  All  this  weight  at  the  end  of  the  bowsprit 
compelled  shipwrights  to  not  only  shorten  that  spar 
but  so  increase  its  diameter  that  it  was  soon  bigger  than 
the  main  topmast. 

It  may  seem  to  landsmen  that  this  giant  candlestick 
arrangement  at  the  end  of  the  bowsprit  was  of  more 
ornament  than  use.  But,  of  a  truth,  spritsails  and 
sprit  topsails  were  not  only  of  use,  but  they  were  a 
necessity.  They  were  really  steering  sails,  sails  to 
help  in  the  handling  of  the  ship.  They  did  the  work 
of  the  jibs  in  helping  a  ship  off  the  wind  when  the  helm 
was  put  up,  for  except  for  a  large  fore  topmast  staysail, 
which  came  in  about  the  middle  of  the  Stuart  period, 
headsails  were  not  introduced  until  the  sprit  topsail 
was  done  away  with  and  its  place  once  more  taken  by 
the  jack,  which  was  well  into  the  eighteenth  century. 

The  sprit  topsail,  indeed,  had  a  reign  of  about  100 
years.  I  know  of  one  interesting  instance  of  a  sprit 
topgallant.  It  is  mentioned  in  the  manuscript  log 
of  an  old  Stuart  tarpaulin,  who  happened  to  be  in 
charge  of  the  "  xMocha  Fleet  "  when  Captain  Kidd 
committed  his  first  piracy.  The  incident  is  thus 
described  by  old  Barlow : — 

The  Fifteenth  of  August  being  got  past  the  small  Bab  Island  in  the 
morning  betime  we  espied  a  ship  more  than  our  Company  almost  gotten 
into  the  midell  of  our  fleet,  for  being  a  little  parted  there  was  a  vacancy 
in  the  midell  that  a  ship  might  pass  allmost  out  of  shot  reach  from  aney 
oi  our  fleet.     He  shewed  no  colours,  but  came  joging  on  with  his  coursec 


12  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

hauled  up  under  two  topsails,  having  more  sails  furled  than  usually 
ships  carry  namely  a  mizen  top  galon  sail  and  a  spritsail  top  gallon  sail' 
which  made  us  judge  presently  what  he  was,  he  coming  pretty  near  U9 
but  scarce  within  shot,  we  perceived  what  like  ship  he  was,  a  prety 
friggat — a  ship  as  we  understood  afterwards  built  at  Bedford  called  the 
Adventure  galley,  she  carrying  about  28  or  30  guns,  having  on  her  lower 
gun  deck  a  line  of  ports  for  owcrs  to  row  withall  in  calm  wether. 

We  shewing  no  colours  neither  but  had  only  a  red  broad  pendant 
but  without  any  cross  in  it;  and  thinking  he  might  take  us  for  one  of 
the  Moors  ships,  having  our  ship  in  readiness,  were  willing  to  let  him 
come  as  near  to  us  as  he  would,  for  the  Dutch  convoy  was  a  long  way 
astarne,  and  we  had  verey  litell  wind  and  he  could  not  come  nere  us. 
But  seeing  the  pirat  as  nere  as  he  intended  to  come,  being  all  most 
abrest  of  us,  we  presently  hoisted  our  colours  and  let  fly  two  or  three 
guns  at  him  well  shotted  and  presently  gott  both  our  boats  ahead,  having 
verey  little  wind.  Rowing  towards  him,  he  having  fired  4  or  five  times 
at  one  of  the  Moor's  ships,  striking  him  in  the  hull  and  through  his  sails. 
But  he  seeing  us  make  what  we  could  towards  him,  presently  made 
what  sail  hee  could  from  us,  getting  out  his  oars  and  rowing  and  sailing, 
we  firing  what  we  could  at  him,  our  men  shouting  which  I  believe  he 
heard  and  that  he  took  us  for  one  of  the  Kings  ships.  We  fired  at  him 
as  long  as  he  was  anything  nere  and  judge  did  hit  him  with  som  of  our 
shot.  But  he  sailed  far  better  than  we  did,  and  being  out  of  shot  of  us, 
he  took  in  his  oars  and  his  smal  saile,  hauling  up  his  lower  sailes  in  the 
brales,  staying  for  us;  but  having  no  mind  to  engage,  as  we  drew  nere 
him  made  saile  again  from  us.  Dooing  so  twice  and  seeing  us  still 
follow  him,  at  last  set  all  his  sails  and  away  he  went. 

It  being  almost  sunset,  we  brought  our  ship  to  and  lay  by  till  the 
fleet  came  up  to  us,  being  4  or  5  leagues  astarne.  Some  of  the  Moors 
ships  having  a  great  deal  of  money  abord  and  sartainly  the  fleet  being 
a  littele  parted,  had  not  our  ship  happened  to  have  been  in  their 
corapeney,  he  had  sartainly  plundered  all  the  headmost  ships  of  all  their 
welth  and  the  Duch  ship  could  not  have  helpen  them  being  a  heavy 
sailor  and  littell  or  no  wind 

Being  secured  at  that  time  from  ye  pirrat,  whose  commander  being 
called  William  Kid,  as  we  heard  after,  and  the  next  morning  being  the 
16  of  August,  he  was  gon  out  of  our  sight. 

Space  forbids  me  from  quoting  any  more  of  this 
interesting  old  manuscript,  but  Barlow  has  more  to 
say  about  the  pirate,  Captain  Kid,  and  his  descents 
upon  some  of  the  trading  ports  of  the  Malabar  Coast. 

It  will  be  noticed  from  the  above  that  the  Adventure 


INTRODUCTION  13 

galley  carried  a  mizen  topgallant  sail.  This  sail 
remained  quite  a  rarity  for  another  fifty  years. 

When  a  jibboom  was  sent  out  at  the  end  of  the 
bowsprit,  in  order,  as  its  name  implies,  to  carry  that 
unwieldy  sail,  the  huge  low-footed  eighteenth  century 
jib,  the  sprit  topsail  was  set  outside  the  spritsail  under 
the  bowsprit  and  jibboom. 

And  the  spritsail  had  no  sooner  gone  out  of  fashion 
before  it  came  in  again  in  the  shape  of  the  tea  clipper's 
"  Jamie  Green.  "  That  the  spritsail  was  a  true  working 
sail  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  it  was  generally  provided 
with  a  diagonal  row  of  reef  points. 

Next  to  the  development  of  the  modern  head  sails, 
the  changes  made  in  crossjack  and  spanker  are  of  most 
interest.  As  is  well  known  by  old  seamen,  no  sail 
was  bent  on  the  crossjack  yard  until  about  1840,  the 
first  man  to  set  a  crossjack  being  an  American  skipper. 
Indeed  a  crossjack  did  very  little  useful  work  until 
ships  began  to  increase  in  length  so  as  to  allow  of 
more  drift  between  the  main  and  mizen  masts.  The 
French  call  the  crossjack  yard  "  la  vergue  seche, "  the 
barren  yard. 

The  development  of  the  spanker  from  the  old  lateen 
mizen  went  through  one  or  two  interesting  stages.  The 
lateen  yard,  indeed,  was  still  aloft  on  a  great  many 
of  our  ships  up  to  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century. 
The  Victory  herself  only  gave  it  up  in  1798,  and  the 
Vanguard  and  several  of  the  French  ships  still  carried 
it  at  the  Battle  of  the  Nile. 

But  before  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  the 
part  of  the  sail  forward  of  the  mast  was  cut  away,  its 
place  being  taken  by  the  staysail  on  the  mizen  stay. 
When  this  was  done,  the  luff  of  the  shortened  sail  was 
tacked  down  to  the  foot  of  the  mast,   and  no  attempt 


14  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

was  made  to  keep  it  into  the  mast  either  by  means  of 
hoops  or  screw-eyes,  at  the  same  time  the  foot  of  the 
sail  was  kept  boomless. 

For  some  years  before  this  the  lateen  yard  had 
gradually  been  growing  shorter  and  shorter,  and  by  the 
time  that  it  was  changed  into  the  modern  gaff  with 
jaws  to  the  mast,  it  was  so  short  as  make  the  sail  too 
small  to  do  its  proper  work  of  helping  the  ship  to  bring 
her  head  to  windward. 

Thereupon,  instead  of  increasing  the  size  of  this 
early  spanker,  the  old  rigger  bent  a  ring-tail  outside 
it.  This  sail,  which  was  called  a  driver,  had  a  boom 
on  its  foot  which  was  tacked  down  to  the  rail,  it  had  a 
bowline  on  its  luff,  and  was  hoisted  by  halliards  to  a 
block  at  the  peak  of  the  spanker  gaff.  The  next 
change  was  the  fitting  of  a  spanker  boom,  and  the 
driver  or  ringtail  was  carried  rif^ht  into  the  mast,  its 
head  being  hoisted  to  the  gaff  by  three  halliards  at 
equal  distances  apart,  the  after  one  being  bent  on 
to  the  short  ring-tail  yard  which  stood  out  beyond 
the  peak. 

To  give  place  to  this  sail,  the  old  mizen  was  hauled 
up  and  made  fast  to  its  gaff,  and  the  new  sail,  which 
gradually  came  to  be  called  the  spanker,  was  hauled 
out  to  the  end  of  the  boom  like  a  loose-footed  mainsail 
and  was  tacked  down  to  the  foot  of  the  mast  by  a  strong 
purchase,  and  still  there  were  no  mast  hoops  or  traveller 
to  keep  the  sail  into  the  mast.  And  from  this  the 
present  day  spanker  was  evolved. 

It  is  always  difficult  for  the  reader  to  follow  a  des- 
cription of  rigging,  for  what  is  easy  enough  to  understand 
when  demonstrated  on  a  model  becomes  both  confusing 
and  wearisome  in  cold  print.  But  for  this,  I  should 
have  been  tempted  to  branch  off  into  many  a  fascinating 


INTRODUCTION  13 

by-path  in  the  evolution  of  a  ship's  rigging,  such 
as  bentinck  shrouds,  jeers  and  slings,  gammoninfrs, 
trusses,  etc. 

Royals,  stunsails  or  more  properly  studding  sails, 
and  other  flying  kites  came  into  being  as  soon  as  our 
trade  with  tropical  countries  became  so  securely  estab- 
lished that  King's  ships  were  sent  out  to  foreign  stations 
for  long  commissions,  but  I  do  not  think  that  anyone 
has  yet  found  out  the  first  ship  to  send  royal  yards  aloft 
or  rig  out  stunsail  booms. 

Next  to  rigging  and  sails,  we  require  to  know  the 
colour  schemes  of  hulls,  masts  and  spars  before  we  can 
form  any  picture  in  our  minds  of  what  our  old  wooden 
walls  really  looked  like. 

And,  curiously  enough,  though  we  know  the  colours 
favoured  in  the  seventeenth  century,  those  used  in  the 
eighteenth  have  been  somewhat  obscured  through  the 
eagerness  of  nineteenth  century  marine  painters  to 
paint  every  ship  a  la  Nelson.  Perhaps  the  most  common 
colour  scheme  for  British  ships  up  to  the  date  of 
Trafalgar  was  yellow  sides  with  a  black  streak  along  the 
water-line. 

In  my  Butterworth  drawing  of  the  British  fleet  lying 
at  anchor  off  Spithead  in  1797,  the  ships  are  painted 
almost  brown  with  a  lighter  yellow  band  from  the  level 
of  the  main  deck  to  that  of  the  lower  deck. 

There  are  some  very  interesting  notes  and  sketches, 
taken  by  a  Colonel  Fawkes  at  the  Battle  of  the  Nile, 
which  are  in  the  possession  of  my  friend,  Mr.  Louis  Paul ; 
these  he  published  in  the  Mariners'  Mirror  just  before 
the  war. 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  give  the  colours  of  the  British 
and  French  ships,  as  noted  by  Colonel  Fawkes, 


16  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

BRITISH    SHIPS. 

Audacious. — Plain  yellow  sides. 

Zealous. — Broad  red  sides  with  small  yellow  stripes. 

Go/»a//».— Light  yellow  sides  with  a  black  streak  between  the  upper 

and  lower  deck  ports. 
Tksseus.—Ught  yellow  sides  with  a  black  streak  between  the  upper 

and  lower  deck  ports,  with  hammock  cloths  yellow  and  ports 

painted  upon  them  to  resemble  a  three-decker.* 
Vanguard.— YeWow  sides  with  a  black  streak  between  the  upper  and 

lower  deck  ports. 
Mmotaur.— Red  sides  with  a  black  streak  between  the  upper  and 

lower  deck  ports. 
Orion. — Plain  yellow  sides. 
Defence. — Plain  yellow  sides. 
Leander. —YeWow  sides  with  a  black  streak  between  the  upper  and 

lower  deck  ports. 
Swiftsure. —  ditto. 

Majestic. —  ditto. 

Alexander.— Plain  yellow  sides. 
Bellerophon. —         ditto. 
Culloden. — Yellow  sides  with  two  small  black  streaks  between  the 

upper  and  lower  deck  ports. 
Muiine  (brig). — Yellow  sides. 

FRENCH    SHIPS. 
Le  Guerrier. — Dark  yellow  sides. 
Le  Conquerant. —  ditto. 

Le  Spartiate. — Light  yellow  sides. 
L'Aquilon. — Red  sides  with  a  black  streak  between  the  upper  and 

lower  deck  ports. 
Le  Franklin. — Plain  yellow  sides. 
Le  Peuple  Souverain.- — Dark  yellow  sides. 
Le  Tonnant. — Broad  light  yellow  with  small  black  streaks  in  a  line 

with  the  muzzles  of  the  guns  and  two  between  the  upper 

and  lower  deck  ports 
L'Heureu.x. — Very  dark  yellow  sides. 
Le  Timoleon. — Very  dark  red  sides. 
Le  Guilleaume  Tell. — Light  yellow  sides  with  a  black  streak  between 

the  upper  and  lower  deck  ports. 
Le  Mercure. — Dark  yellow  sides. 
Le  Genereux. — Dark  red  sides. 

The  frigates  were  all  yellow. 


♦This  is  interesting  as  showing  that  our  ancestors  were  quite  alivs 
,o  the  value  of  camouflage. 


INTRODUCTION  17 

Mr.  Louis  Paul  goes  on  to  remark  that  yellow  sides 
and  black  bands  predominated  up  to  Trafalgar;  but  I 
think  they  continued  until  long  after  that  date,  though 
Nelson  was  the  first  Admiral  to  order  all  the  ships  of  his 
fleet  to  be  painted  alike. 

The  interiors  of  all  British  men-of-war  were  always 
painted  red,  in  order,  as  it  was  said,  to  hide  the 
demoralising  bloodstains. 

Nelson  is  generally  supposed  to  have  painted  his  hulls 
black  with  yellow  strakes  along  the  gunports  and  black 
port  lids.  This  was  called  double-yellow  or  chequer 
painting,  as  the  ships  were  chequer  sided.  But  as 
regards  the  black  hulls,  I  have  my  doubts.  Captain 
Hoffman,  who  was  present  at  the  Battle  of  Trafalgar 
on  board  the  Tonnant,  has  the  following  clear  statement 
in  his  journal: — "All  our  ships'  sides  were  ordered  to 
be  painted  yellow  with  black  streaks,  and  the  masts 
yellow. " 

It  would  have  taken  some  time  and  paint  to  have 
slabbed  black  over  the  yellow  hulls,  though  painting  in 
black  strakes  along  the  gunports  would  have  been  a  small 
matter.  There  is  no  doubt,  however,  of  the  chequer - 
board  appearance,  so  we  can  conclude  that  at  any  rate 
the  gun  strakes  were  yellow  and  the  port  lids  black. 

There  was  no  uniformity,  however,  in  the  painting 
of  the  French  and  Spanish  ships  at  Trafalgar,  and  the 
various  painters  of  the  battle  have  missed  a  great 
opportunity  in  neglecting  such  a  picturesque  detail  as 
the  many  different  colours  displayed.  For  instance, 
the  huge  Spanish  Santissima  Trinidada  was  painted  a 
rich  crimson  lake  with  four  narrow  white  ribbons  under 
her  four  tiers  of  guns.  And  her  figurehead,  representing 
the  Holy  Trinity,  was  a  Cyclopian  group  of  figures 
painted  white. 


18  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Another  historic  ship,  the  Santa  Anna,  Alava*s 
flagship,  was  black  from  her  hammock  nettings  to  her 
water-line,  the  only  note  of  colour  being  in  the  red 
robes  of  the  Mother  of  the  Virgin,  another  figurehead 
noted  for  its  immense  size. 

All  shades  of  yellow  were  to  be  found  on  the  hulls 
of  the  French  and  Spanish  ships,  and  gun  strakes  were 
often  red,  so  the  British  ships  were  unmistakable  owing 
to  the  chequers. 

There  was  one  small  point — but  one  which  a  com- 
mander of  Nelson's  experience  was  quick  to  note  and 
take  advantage  of — the  Frcxich  always  painted  their 
mast  hoops  black,  so  Nelson  ordered  his  mast  hoops  to 
be  painted  white,  thus  making  sure  with  his  white 
mast  hoops  and  chequered  sides  that  none  of  his  ships 
could  mistake  each  other  for  the  enemy  during  the 
smoke  and  confusion  of  battle. 

By  the  date  of  Trafalgar  much  of  the  gilt  and  ginger- 
bread had  been  stripped  from  the  British  ships  of  war 
and  merchantman,  and  the  carvers  and  gilders  were 
only  allowed  to  decorate  the  Royal  yachts  and  one  or 
two  special  first-rates.  The  elaborate  coats-of-arms, 
the  cupids  and  nymphs  and  golden  caryatides  had  gone 
from  the  sterns  of  most  ships.  Wreaths  around  the 
circular  gunports  of  the  upper  deck  and  poops  with  the 
bundles  of  carved  weapons  in  between,  gleaming  yellow 
against  the  bright  blue  paint,  had  departed  with  the 
last  of  the  Stuarts.  Entry  ports  lacked  carved  pillars 
and  handrails.  Knight-heads  had  become  bollards; 
and  even  the  belfreys  required  only  the  craft  of  the 
joiner  instead  of  that  of  both  carver  and  gilder. 

The  figureheads  and  a  certain  amount  of  carving 
around  the  quarter  galleries  alone  remained. 

And  now,  the  quarter  galleries  have  gone,  and  the 


INTRODUCTION  19 

few  remaining  figureheads,  gracing  the  bows  of  the 
survivors  of  the  golden  age  of  sail,  are  looked  upon  as 
curiosities  and  photographed  and  sketched  wherever 
they  are  seen. 

Leslie  in  that  delightful  but  very  scarce  book,  Old 
Sea  Wings,  Ways  and  Words,  traces  the  figurehead 
back  to  the  Eg}^tians,  to  the  Greeks  and  Romans, 
who  ornamented  the  heads  of  their  galleys  with  graceful 
swans  and  imperial  eagles :  he  also  refers  to  the  elabor- 
ately carved  images  at  the  heads  of  Maori  war  canoes. 
The  most  famous  figurehead  is,  of  course,  the  winged 
Victory  of  Samothrace,  in  the  Louvre,  which  stands 
upon  the  bow  of  a  trireme.  There  is  no  evidence, 
however,  that  this  bit  of  sculpture  was  ever  afloat.  It 
was  set  up  at  Samothrace  by  Demetrius,  one  of  Alex- 
ander's generals,  in  306  B.C.,  in  order  to  celebrate  a 
naval  victory.  The  first  figureheads  that  graced 
British  ships  appeared  about  the  thirteenth  century. 
The  Trinity  Royal,  of  1416,  is  supposed  to  have  had  a 
Royal  leopard,  with  a  crown  of  copper,  on  her  beak-head. 

We  have  all  heard  of  the  "dragons"  of  the  Vikings. 
Figureheads  in  the  Middle  Ages  were  generally  in  the 
shape  of  a  dragon  or  monstrous  fish  with  a  projecting 
barbed  tongue,  which  did  duty  as  a  spear-head  for 
ramming  purposes. 

By  the  time  of  the  Stuarts  figureheads  were  universal 
and  most  elaborate.  Indeed  Leslie  declares  that  the 
only  people  who  have  never  adopted  them  were  the 
Chinese  and  Japanese. 

Up  to  1700  and  even  later  British  first-rates  usually 
had  kingly  figures  on  prancing  horses  weighing  down 
their  beak-heads.  The  figurehead  of  the  Sovereign  of 
the  Seas  was  a  very  well-known  group  of  statuary, 
consisting  of  King  Edgar  on  horseback,  trampling  on 


20  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

those  seven  kings,  who,  according  to  history,  were 
compelled  to  row  the  Royal  barge  round  the  Kingdom. 

In  those  days  the  woodcarver  was  a  man  of  im- 
portance, both  at  sea  and  ashore,  at  home  and  abroad. 
Probably  there  was  never  more  elaborate  carving  than 
that  of  the  great  French  flagship  Le  Roi  Soleil.  Her 
figurehead  was  a  magnificent  mermaid  balanced  on 
the  bend  of  her  tail.  Hardly  less  wonderful  was  the 
bow  of  a  French  80-gun  ship,  which  held  a  full  length 
female  figure  in  flowing  draperies,  blowing  a  trumpet 
and  holding  a  flag.  The  whole  of  the  beak  of  this  ship 
was  carved  with  a  carpet  of  oak  leaves,  on  which  the 
goddess  was  standing. 

The  smaller  rates  of  both  English,  Dutch  and  French 
men-of-war  in  the  seventeenth  century  usually  had  the 
"lion  rampant"  at  the  bow.  This  lion  figurehead 
generally  supported  his  fore  paws  on  a  shield  of  the 
Royal  arms,  and  he  was  very  often  crowned.  "The 
sweep  of  the  lion,"  as  the  curve  of  his  head  was  called, 
had  to  be  absolutely  correct  according  to  the  laws  laid 
down  in  the  standard  shipbuilding  works  of  the  day. 

In  1703  an  Admiralty  regulation  made  this  "sweep 
of  the  lion"  the  national  figurehead  for  every  man-of- 
war  except  first-rates;  but  there  was  no  checking  the 
woodcarver  in  this  way,  and  the  regulation  was  rarely 
adhered  to. 

A  very  common  figurehead  in  the  eighteenth  century 
was  the  Roman  warrior,  with  his  chain  mail,  his  short 
stabbing  sword  and  round  shield.  This  figurehead 
adorned  the  bows  of  the  Fighting  Temeraire,  the  Warrior 
(a  74.  of  1781),  the  Kent  (a  74  of  1798),  and  the  Canopus, 
which  was  captured  from  the  French  at  the  Battle  of  the 
Nile.  Another  common  figurehead  was  the  conven- 
tional representation  of  Father  Neptune,  with  his  beard 


INTRODUCTION  21 

of  oakum  and  Royal  trident.     This  was,  of  course,  the 
figurehead  of  the  Ocean. 

The  King  on  the  prancing  white  horse,  which  was 
such  a  feature  of  the  Stuart  period,  was  replaced  in  the 
eighteenth  century  by  a  St.  George  on  his  charger. 
The  figurehead  of  Kempenfeldt's  Royal  George,  however 
was  a  Roman  warrior  supported  on  each  side  by  a  cupid. 

The  figureheads  of  certain  ships  had,  of  course,  to 
carry  out  the  idea  of  the  ship's  name  ;  for  instance  the 
Centaur  (a  74  of  1797)  naturally  had  a  centaur  on  her 
beak-head,  whilst  the  Polyphemus  (a  64  of  1782),  had  the 
monstrous  head  of  the  Cyclops,  with  a  cold  staring  eye 
in  the  midst  of  its  forehead. 

Then  again  ships  called  after  Royal  personages  were 
given  carefully  chiselled  full-length  portraits  of  those 
personages.  The  Royal  Adelaide  carried  a  14-ft. 
figure  of  the  Queen  on  her  bow. 

In  the  early  nineteenth  century  there  were  some  very 
bizarre  and  ridiculou:  figureheads. 

Fancy  going  to  sea  with  the  devil  at  one's  prow,  yet 
the  Siyx,  launched  in  1841,  had  a  half-length  nude  figure 
of  his  Satanic  majesty,  painted  a  dark  chocolate  colour. 

And  here  we  come  to  a  feature  about  old  figureheads 
which  would  have  greatly  offended  the  good  taste  of 
clipper  ship  seamen,  who  would  have  nought  but  pure 
white  lead.  The  old  timers  were  most  gaudily  coloured. 
Imagine  the  La  Ilogue  of  1811:  she  sported  a  green  and 
chocolate  lion,  its  grinning  mouth  displaying  rows  of 
white  teeth  and  a  huge  red  tongue. 

In  the  last  days  of  the  sailing  man-of-war,  we  come 
to  the  Admirals — Nelson  with  his  blind  eye  and  armless 
sleeve,  Anson  in  a  wig,  Duncan  with  a  pigtail,  and 
a  host  of  others.  Many  of  these  naval  figureheads  are 
btill  preserved  in  the  Royal  dockyards. 


22  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Others,  both  naval  and  mercantile,  are  still  to  be  seen 
in  remote  corners  of  the  British  Isles,  notably  at  Tresco 
Abbey,  vScilly,  where  a  long  verandah  is  supported  by 
figureheads  salved  from  wrecks. 

It  is  a  fascinating  subject,  which  I  have  merely 
skimmed;    it  really  deserves  a  whole  book  to  itself. 

After  the  Battle  of  Trafalgar  huge  convoys  and  fleets 
of  ships  began  to  grow  scarcer  and  scarcer.  But  right 
up  to  the  end  of  the  nineteenth  century  a  long  spell 
of  head  winds  would  sometimes  bring  a  large  number 
of  sailing  ships  together,  for  instance  the  late  Captain 
Boultbee  Whall  in  his  School  and  Sea  Days  relates: — 

After  a  long  continuance  of  east  winds,  I  once  counted  some  300 
sail  of  vessels  in  sight  of  the  Lizard,  amongst  which  were  such  well-known 
London  packets  as  the  Saint  Lawrence,  Anglesey,  Newcastle,  Alnwick 
Castle,  Shannon,  Middlesex,  Durham,  Alumbagh,  Wave  of  Life,  Jerusalem, 
Maid  of  Judah,  Orient  and  others.  That  afternoon  the  wind  came  fair, 
and  there  was  a  smart  race  who  should  be  first  up  to  town. 

This  was  in  May,  1870.  A  few  years  earlier,  in  1862, 
the  American  clipper  Oracle  passed  100  sail,  all  bound 
the  same  way,  between  Cork  and  Bardsey. 

On  9th  May,  1897,  the  Shaw  Savill  clipper  Plcione 
had  51  sail  in  sight  from  the  deck  in  46°  N.,  27°  W.  On 
the  next  day  the  Atlantic  transport  ss.  Massachusetts, 
whilst  steaming  along  the  48th  parallel  from  26°  to  28° 
W.,  passed  during  the  afternoon  54  sailing  ships,  all 
close-hauled  on  the  starboard  tack,  the  wind  being 
light  from  the  eastward. 

The  largest  fleet  of  sailing  ships  which  I  have  ever 
seen  was  in  Table  Bay  towards  the  end  of  the  Boer  War. 
I  think  I  counted  over  150  ships,  but,  alas,  the  majority 
of  them  flew  foreign  flags. 

Leslie,  the  sea  painter,  has  left  a  delightful  account 
of  our  last  squadron  of  sailing  battleships  underweigh; 


INTRODUCTION  28 

he  was  bound  up  Channel  in  a  Yankee  packet,  homeward 
bound  from  America,  and  he  remarks : — 

Certainly  England's  oaken  walls  never  looked  stronger  or  grander 
than  they  did  that  evening,  as  those  great  ships  came  tearing  through 
the  black  water  towards  us.  The  warm,  low  sunlight  glowing  upon  the 
piled-up  canvas  made  them  look  like  moving  thunder  clouds;  and  one 
felt  how  small  was  the  little  700-ton  packet,  as,  some  ahead  and  some 
astern,  they  swept  past  her,  close  enough  to  hear  the  boatswains  on 
board  the  nearest  ships  piping  orders  to  shorten  sail  for  the  night.  As 
each  ship  came  up,  one  thing  looked  whiter  even  than  her  creamy 
canvas,  and  that  was  the  broad  roll  of  curling  foam  which  ran  and  played 
upon  the  dark  sea  in  front  of  her  stem;  at  times,  for  a  moment,  as  she 
rose  upon  a  wave  reflected  in  her  sea-polished  copper,  or  as  she  buried  her 
bows  in  the  following  sea,  lighting  up  the  handsome  rails  and  carvings 
about  the  stately  figurehead,  giving  to  that  of  the  Queen  (110)  as  she 
passed  close  to,  the  look  of  a  figure  on  the  stage  hghted  from  below  by 

the  mysterious  glare  of  a  broad  row  of  foothghts 

.  Signals  were  being  so  rapidly  exchanged  from  one  big 
ship  to  the  other,  that  it  was  impossible  to  follow  them  ;  until,  at  one 
given  from  the  Admiral's  vessel,  in  a  moment  the  steady  pile  of  canvas 
of  the  leading  ships  seemed  to  fall  into  confusion,  the  heavy  topsail 
yards  came  down  to  the  caps  of  each  mast,  while  flying  jibs  and  wing 
after  wing  in  the  shape  of  studding  sails  fell  in,  and  were  folded  among 
the  confused  tangle  of  rigging,  which,  in  an  instant  swarmed  with  men 
reefing  topsails,  furling  royals  or  stowing  jibs;  while  the  great  topgallant 
sails,  clewed  up,  belly  out  before  the  wind,  ready  to  be  reset  over  reefed 
topsails  for  the  night.  .\s  the  fleet  went  on  their  way  to  the  westward, 
they  quickly  changed  from  clouds  of  light  into  picturesque  variety  of 
line  and  form,  showing  dark  against  the  orange  glow  left  by  the  sun. 

With  this  vivid  description  of  the  last  of  our  wooden 
walls,  running  out  of  the  Channel  in  1842,  I  will  bring 
this  introduction  to  a  close. 


PART   I. 

*«  HISTORY  OF  THE  BLACK  WALL  YARD.*' 

1611-1836. 

At  the  Blackwall  Docks  we  bid  adieu 

To  lovely  Kate  and  pretty  Sue, 

Our  anchor's  weigh'd  and  our  sails  unfurl'd 

And  we're  bound  to  plough  the  wat'ry  world. 

Sing  hay,  we're  outward  bound! 

Hurrah,  we're  outward  bound. 

The  Blackwall  Yard. 

THE  Blackwall  frigates  gained  their  name  from  the 
Blackwall  Yard  where  so  many  of  them  took  their 
shape. 

This  ancient  shipbuilding  yard  has  a  most  interesting 
history.  It  owed  its  birth  to  the  Spanish  Armada  and 
its  completion  to  the  enterprise  of  the  first  East  India 
Company  of  Merchant  Adventurers,  being  first  known 
as  the  "East  India  Yard. " 

Its  massive  gateway  bore  the  date  of  1612,  and  the 
coat-of-arms  of  these  daring  Merchant  Adventurers 
was  emblazoned  upon  its  panels.  This  coat-of-arms 
was: — Azure  three  ships  of  three  masts,  rigged  and 
under  full  sail,  pennants  and  ensigns  argent,  each 
charged  with  a  cross  gules,  on  the  chief  of  the  second 
a  pale  quarterly  azure  and  gules.  On  the  first  and 
fourth  a  fleur-de-lys.  In  second  and  third  a  lion  passant, 
quadrant  all  of  the  second,  two  rose  gules  seeded  on 

2i 


THE  GLOBE  25 

barbed  rest.  Crest — a  sphere  without  a  frame  bound 
with  the  zodiac,  in  bend  or,  between  two  split  pennons, 
flotant  argent,  each  charged  in  chief  with  a  cross  gules. 
Over  the  sphere,  these  words: — Deus  indicat.  Sup- 
porters— Two  sea-lions  or,  the  tails  proper.  Motto— 
Deo  ducente  nil  nocet. 

There  is  a  fine  tarry  flavour  about  the  "three  ships 
with  three  masts,  rigged  and  under  full  sail"  ;  a  hint 
of  Royal  interest  and  patronage  in  the  lion  and  fleur-de- 
lys  ;  of  tremendous  endeavour  "  in  the  sphere  bound 
with  the  zodiac, "  and  more  than  a  hint  of  sea  peril  in 
the  pious  wording. 

The  great  dockyard  bell  is  still  in  existence,  bearing 
the  date  1616  and  the  motto,  "God  be  my  good  speed.  " 

The  Pioneer  Ship  of  the  Yard— the  "Globe." 

The  first  ships  that  were  built  on  the  Blackwall 
stocks  were  all  East  Indiamen.  The  first  is  believed 
to  have  been  the  Globe.  This  vessel  sailed  for  India 
in  1611,  and  owing  to  trouble  with  our  great 
trading  rivals,  the  Dutch,  was  out  nearly  five  years. 
But  for  all  that  the  profits  of  the  voyage  came  to  218 
per  cent.  The  name  of  this  ship,  as  is  so  often  the  case, 
was  handed  down  to  posterity  by  a  neighbouring  tavern. 

Sir  Henry  Johnson  the  Elder. 

The  first  shipbuilder  connected  with  the  yard  was 
Henry  Johnson,  a  cousin  of  Sir  Phineas  Pett.  Besides 
East  Indiamen,  this  man  built  seven  third -rates,  two 
for  Cromwell,  and  four  for  Charles  II.,  by  whom  he 
was  knighted  in  1679.  Henry  Johnson  the  elder  died 
in  1683,  and  was  buried  in  the  East  India  Chapel, 
adjoining  the  yard. 


26 


THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 


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KING'S  SHIPS  27 

King's    Ships    built    at    Blackwall    in    the 
Seventeenth  Century. 

The  King's  ships,  built  by  Sir  Henry  Johnson 
the  elder  were  all  of  that  most  useful  rate,  the  third, 
corresponding  to  the  74  of  the  Napoleonic  period. 

The  Navy  of  Charles  II.  was  divided  up  into  six  rates ; 
these  were  generally  alluded  to  in  the  correspondence 
of  the  times  as  "the  great  ships"  (first  and  second-rates) 
"frigates"  (third  and  fourth-rates)  and  "small  frigates" 
(fifth  and  sixth-rates),  besides  which  the  "Grand  Fleet" 
was  made  up  of  fireships,  doggers,  galliots,  hoys, 
hospital  ships,  pinks,  yachts,  flyboats  and  shallops. 

The  great  ships  were  treated  with  great  reverence; 
they  were  kept  strictly  to  the  limits  of  the  "Narrow 
Seas,  "  and  every  September  were  brought  into  Chatham 
or  Portsmouth  and  laid  up  through  the  winter;  but  the 
third-rates,  besides  fighting  in  the  line  of  battle,  were 
sent  to  every  part  of  the  world,  they  did  convoy  work, 
they  cruised  on  their  stations  in  the  Channel,  in  the 
North  Sea  and  off  Ireland  during  the  winter  months, 
and  they  were  the  first  ships  to  make  the  British  flag 
known  in  the  Mediterranean. 

Many  people  think  of  the  Stuart  Navy  as  consisting 
of  a  lot  of  very  slow,  leewardly,  unhandy  old  wagons, 
primitive  of  design  and  rig,  and  but  little  less  clumsy 
than  a  Spanish  treasure  galleon.  This  is  altogether 
an  erroneous  view.  In  many  ways  these  ships  were 
superior  and  finer  models  than  the  wooden  walls  of 
Nelson's  time. 

They  had  more  beams  to  length  than  their  successors, 
more  deadrise  and  finer  lines.  The  shipwrights  of  the 
seventeenth  century  were  practical  rather  than  theor- 
etical. They  built  by  eye  and  by  experience  and  were 
not  hampered  by  Admiralty  Rules  and  Regulations  as 


28  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

to  measurement  and  design,  material,  etc.  In  the 
eighteenth  century  the  builder  was  so*  bound  down  by 
Admiralty  restrictions  that  individual  skill  and  talent 
were  allowed  no  scope,  and  thus  the  British  man-of-war 
of  that  era  became  not  only  inferior  in  speed,  weatherli- 
ness,  and  seaworthiness  to  the  Frenchman  but  also  to 
our  own  East  Indiamen. 

The  exact  contrary  was  the  case  in  the  seventeenth 
century.  Then  our  frigates  were  very  much  faster  and 
more  weatherly  than  those  of  our  chief  rivals,  the  Dutch, 
and  could  sail  round  the  Frenchman,  the  Spaniard  or 
the  Portuguee,  to  name  the  other  chief  maritime 
nations. 

The  third-rate  of  the  seventeenth  century  was  fit  to  go 
anywhere.  The  seamanship  of  those  days  was  of  a  very 
fine  order,  and  even  the  navigation  was  far  from  being 
as  primitive  as  one  would  imagine.  One  has  been 
accustomed  to  marvel  at  the  pluck  and  daring  of  our 
ancestors  in  undertaking  long  voyages  into  unknown 
seas. 

One  brings  to  mind  Anson's  voyage  and  the  great 
mortality  amongst  his  crews  from  scurvy  and  typhus. 
I  find,  however,  that  scurvy  and  typhus  were  by  no 
means  prevalent  amongst  the  Indiamen  of  the  seven- 
teenth century.  There  were,  of  course,  instances  of 
great  sickliness  at  sea,  but  these  instances  could  gener- 
ally be  traced  to  fever  epidemics,  mean  captains  and 
skinflint  owners.  As  a  general  rule  I  find  that  British 
crews  were  better  fed  in  the  seventeenth  century  than 
in  the  early  nineteenth  century,  and  where  they  were 
often  on  short  allowance  was  generally  with  regard  to 
water,  though  this  was  usually  discounted  by  an 
extremely  liberal  allowance  of  beer. 


A  ROYAL  SAILOR  29 

Prince  Rupert  visits  the  Blackwall  Yard. 

In  the  seventeenth  century  the  sea  and  ships  were 
the  fashion.  The  Merry  Monarch  and  his  brother,  the 
Duke  of  York  (later  James  II.)  were  both  keen  sailors 
and  took  great  interest  in  shipbuilding.  Charles  II. 
constantly  left  his  dovecots  to  visit  his  shipyards,  but 
the  greatest,  most  experienced  and  most  practical  of  the 
Royal  sailors  of  the  seventeenth  century  was  Charles' 
famous  cousin,  Prince  Rupert,  a  tall  dark  man  with  an 
eagle's  eye  and  a  stern  mouth,  his  brain  full  of  new 
inventions  and  improvements  both  for  the  ships  and 
their  armaments.  Rupert  was  a  real  "tarpaulin," 
who  could  stand  his  trick  at  the  wheel,  put  his  ship  about 
or  take  the  sun  with  equal  ease.  He  was  also  a  patron 
and  promoter  of  all  new  shipping  enterprises,  such  as 
the  Hudson  Bay  Company  and  the  African  Company. 
His  visits  to  the  Blackwall  Yard  were  those  of  the 
expert  and  the  business  man;  and  British  shipping  in 
the  seventeenth  century  owed  more  to  the  keenness, 
industry  and  ingenuity  of  Prince  Rupert  than  historians 
have  ever  acknowledged  or  realised. 

Pepsyian  Anecdotes. 

Pepys,  also,  paid  more  than  one  visit  to  the  yard. 
In  1661  he  went  to  see  the  newly  finished  wet  dock  and 
the  Indiaman  Royal  Oake,  which  had  just  been  built  and 
was  on  the  launching  ways.  In  1665  he  records  a  second 
visit,  concerning  which  he  relates  this  curious  story  :— 

At  Blackwall  there  is  observable  what  Johnson  tells  us,  that  in 
digging  the  late  Docke,  they  did  twelve  feet  underground  find  perfect 
trees,  overcovered  with  earth,  nut  trees  with  the  branches  and  the  very 
nuts  on  them:  some  of  whose  nuts  he  showed  us,  their  shells  black  with 
age  and  their  kernell,  upon  opening,  decayed  but  their  shell  perfectly 
hard  as  ever:  and  a  new  tree  (upon  which  the  very  ivy  was  taken  up 
whole  about  it)  which  upon  cutting  with  an  "  addes,"  we  found  tcj  be 
rather  harder  than  the  living  tree  usually  is. 


80  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

♦♦Old  Hob." 

There  is  another  incident  of  this  date,  worth 
recording  as  curious.  It  is  thus  mentioned  in  Siowe's 
Survey : — 

In  the  time  of  the  elder  Sir  Henry  Johnson.  Knight,  shipbuilder,  a 
horse  wrought  there  34  years,  driven  by  one  man,  and  he  grew  to  that 
experience,  that  at  the  first  sound  of  the  bell  for  the  men  in  the  yard  to 
leave  off  work,  he  also  would  cease  labouring  and  could  not  by  any 
means  be  brought  to  give  one  pull  after  it,  and  when  the  bell  rang  to 
work  he  would  as  readily  come  forth  again  to  his  labour,  which  was  to 
draw  planks  and  pieces  of  timber  from  one  part  of  the  yard  to  another. 

This  equine  celebrity,  "Old  Hob"  as  he  was  called, 
was  immortalised,  like  the  Glohe  Indiaman,  on  the 
signboard  of  a  well-known  tavern  adjoming  the  yard. 

Johnson  the  Younger. 

The  second  Sir  Henry  Johnson,  besides  building 
ships,  was  one  of  the  leading  directors  of  the  East  India 
Company  and  owned  shares  in  a  number  of  vessels  He 
was  a  well-known  figure  "On  'Change"  or  at  Lloyd's 
Coffee  House,  where  insurances  were  effected  and  ships 
bought  and  sold  "by  touch  of  candle."  This  Johnson 
was  a  notorious  old  skinflint  with  the  reputation  of  being 
a  man  "  very  hard  to  part  from  his  money. "  He  was  in 
fact  a  mean  old  curmudgeon  with  no  attractive  qualities, 
and  I  do  not  think  he  took  much  interest  in  the  yard, 
which  he  left  in  the  capable  hands  of  his  foreman, 
Philip  Perry.  He  had  a  brother  named  William,  but 
this  man  had  no  connection  with  the  yard,  being  an 
East  India  supercargo — an  important  and  lucrative 
job  in  those  days. 

An  interesting  relic  of  this  date  was  found  in  1878. 
This  was  a  brass  two-foot  rule,  similar  to  rules  still  in 
use  and  bearing  the  name  and  date  "  Edward  Gast,  1691.  " 

Poplar,  according  to  Stowe,  owed  its  name  to  its  fine 


NAVAL  ADMINISTRATION  81 

rows  of  poplar  trees,  whilst  the  Isle  of  Dogs  was  so 
called  because  Charles  I.  kept  his  hounds  kenneled  there 
when  in  residence  at  Greenwich  Palace,  but  both  trees 
and  dogs  had  disappeared  by  Johnson's  time. 

The  only  King's  ships  built  in  the  yard  at  the  end  of 
the  seventeenth  century  were  two  fire-ships,  of  260  tons, 
the  Strombolo  built  in  1690,  and  the  Blazes  built  in  1694 ; 
and  a  50-gun  frigate,  called  the  Burlington,  which  was 
built  in  1695. 

Indiamen  of  the  Eighteenth  Century. 

The  eighteenth  century  was  a  century  of  lax 
morals,  gross  living,  and  but  little  advance  in  the 
sciences.  Selfish  dishonesty  and  corruption  ran  like 
a  poison  through  all  Governments  and  all  classes.  The 
chivalry,  the  unselfish  loyalty,  and  the  devotion  to 
art  and  science,  so  freely  spent  in  the  service  of  the 
Stuarts,  seemed  to  have  vanished,  and  German  mater- 
ialism ran  far  and  wide  through  "Happy  England." 
The  Hanoverians  unfortunately  lacked  charm ;  patriot- 
ism became  tainted  with  self-interest,  and  men  in 
State  employ  thought  firstly  of  their  own  pockets  and 
secondly  of  their  country's  welfare. 

Thus  we  find  the  administration  of  the  Navy  eaten 
through  and  through  from  top  to  bottom  with  jobbery 
and  peculation,  against  which  a  few  honest  men  wore  out 
their  hearts  and  brains  in  vain.  Naturally  the  Service 
suffered.  No  one  could  be  trusted  to  be  honest,  and 
stringent  rules  and  regulations,  as  a  check  to  dishonest 
work,  became  the  custom  of  the  age. 

Minute  measurements  were  laid  down  for  the  building 
of  men-of-war.  Elaborate  fighting  regulations  tied 
the  hands  of  admirals,  and  made  hard  and  fast  for- 
mations  for  the  sea  fight,  whenever   and  wherever  it 


32  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

took  place.  These  restrictions,  without  proving  much 
of  a  check  on  dishonesty,  nevertheless  checked  all 
honest  enterprise  and  efficiency  and  the  progress  of 
all  natural  genius.  The  Navy  fell  back  alarmingly, 
its  ships  lost  the  sweetness  of  their  lines;  and  we  have 
only  to  read  Fielding  and  Smollett  to  realise  the  low 
character  of  its  personnel. 

The  East  India  Company,  however,  strove  hard  to 
maintain  the  high  standard  of  efficiency  which  it  had 
always  set  for  itself.  Nevertheless,  towards  the  end  of 
the  century,  we  find  the  East  Indiaman  of  very  much 
the  same  tonnage,  rarely  over  700  tons,  as  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  century.  This,  though,  is  easily  accounted 
for.  With  almost  continuous  war  at  sea  throughout  the 
century,  the  Admiralty's  one  nightmare  was  the  growing 
scarcity  of  suitable  timber  for  knees  and  frames.  Sub- 
stitutes were  sought  for  in  every  direction,  but  it  was 
easily  proved  that  no  wood  grown  could  equal  English 
oak.  And  every  oak  knee  and  elbow,  above  a  certain 
size,  was  required  for  the  Navy.  This  naturally  kept 
down  the  size  of  merchant  ships  and  led  to  the  early 
adoption  of  iron  knees,  brackets,  etc.,  in  the  ships  of 
the  East  India  Company.  Thus  we  see  the  Indiaman 
was  in  one  respect  further  advanced  than  the  man-of- 
war.  And  it  was  by  no  means  the  only  way  in  which 
they  were  superior  to  the  Royal  Navy. 

The  capstan  with  iron  spindle  and  pauls  was  fitted 
into  Indiamen  long  before  the  Admiralty  adopted  it. 
The  Sou-Spainer  also  rejoiced  in  flush  upper  decks 
when  the  naval  constructors  still  clung  to  deep  waists. 
Another  improvement  of  the  East  India  Company 
was  the  round  headed  rudder. 

At  last  towards  the  end  of  the  century  the  Admiralty 
asked  the  surveyor  of  the  East  India  Company,   one 


EAST  INDIA  SHIPS. 


Length  146-1.     Beam  36.      Burthen  in   tons   818/4 


Length    1250*.     Beam  32.      Burthen  m  tons  544r,4 


[To  face  Page  32. 


EAST  INDIA  COMPANY  88 

Gabriel  Snodgrass,  to  report  upon  any  defects  he  ob- 
served in  naval  ships  and  suggest  improvements.  He 
accepted  their  request  with  alacrity  and  replied  at 
length.  He  was  very  right  in  most  of  his  criticisms: 
for  instance  he  declared  that  all  men-of-war  were  too 
short  and  stepped  their  masts  too  far  forward.  He 
went  exhaustively  into  the  subject  of  the  seasoning  and 
preservation  of  timber,  advised  building  ships  under 
cover,  and  commented  on  the  thinness  of  the  bottoms  of 
British  ships  compared  to  foreign,  and  also  the  thinness 
of  their  sheathing. 

And  this  brings  us  to  a  most  important  subject.  In 
1673  a  trial  was  made  of  lead  sheathing,  but  this  did 
not  find  favour  for  more  than  a  few  years.  Next  came 
nail  filled  bottoms;  and  it  was  not  until  1761  that 
copper  was  tried,  the  first  ship  to  be  coppered  being  the 
Alarm,  a  frigate  of  32  guns. 

Liberality  of  the  East  India  Company. 

The  East  India  Company  was  probably  the  most 
liberal,  generous,  and  public-spirited  concern  that  ever 
held  a  trading  charter.  Their  treatment  of  both  officers 
and  petty  officers  was  truly  royal  in  its  munificence. 
Gifts  of  valuable  plate  and  thousands  of  pounds  of 
money  were  invariably  awarded  to  captains  who 
successfully  defended  their  ships  against  the  foe,  and 
the  E.I. Co.  was  constantly  helping  the  Admiralty 
with  both  money  and  ships.  In  1779  they  offered  a 
bounty  for  the  raising  of  6000  seamen,  and  not  content 
with  this  built  three  74 's,  the  Ganges,  Carnatic  and 
Bombay  Castle,  at  their  own  expense. 

John  Perry. 

All  this  time  the  Blackwall  Yard  was  in  the 
hands   of  a   very   clever   and   remarkable   man.     The 


34  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

second  Johnson,  who  died  in  1693,  was  succeeded  by 
Philip  Perry,  and  in  1776  John  Perry,  Pliilip  Perry's 
second  son,  became  the  head  of  the  firm.  This  John 
Perry  was  one  of  the  most  notable  men  of  his  day.  He 
was  educated  at  Harrow,  and  afterwards  became  a 
strong  politician  and  supporter  of  Pitt.  His  eloquence 
was  notorious,  and  his  son  used  to  relate  the  following 
anecdote  to  show  his  father's  cleverness  at  the  hustings : — 

At  a  Middlesex  election,  Mr.  Perry  proposed  Mr.  Mainwaring  in 
opposition  to  Sir  Francis  Burdett.  When  he  came  forward  on  the 
hustings,  the  mob  hooted  and  called  him  a  Government  contractor. 

"Yes,"  replied  Perry,  "  I  contract  with  the  Government  to  build 
ships.  I  built,  for  instance,  the  Venerable,  which  was  Lord  Duncan's 
flagship  at  the  Battle  of  Camperdown.  I  built  such  and  such  ship" — 
mentioning  various  other  famous  vessels  and  the  victorious  battles  in 
which  they  had  been  engaged.  He  had  touched  a  true  chord  of 
national  feeling:  the  people  began  to  cheer  and  he  sat  down  in  a  tempest 
of  applause. 

The  Brunswick  Dock  and  Masthouse. 

In  this  John  Perry's  time,  the  yard  reached  its 
zenith.  It  was  then  known  as  "the  most  capacious 
private  dockyard  in  the  Kingdom  and  probably  in  the 
world."  In  1784  Perry  had  his  great  year.  The  end 
of  the  American  War  of  Independence  had  most  un- 
expectedly brought  a  great  revival  of  trade  in  its  train. 
An  old  picture,  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Perry's  descend- 
ants, shows  the  yard  in  thks  year.  Seven  vessels  are  on 
the  stocks,  the  Venerable,  Victorious,  Hannibal  and 
Theseus,  74 's;  the  Gorgon  and  Adventure,  44 -gun 
frigates;  and  the  West  Indiaman  Three  Sisters.  The 
Bushridge  has  just  been  launched,  and  four  vessels  are 
in  dry  dock  under  repair. 

In  1789  Mr.  Perry  began  building  the  famous  Bruns- 
wick Dock,  now  the  East  India  Export  Dock.  It  was 
divided  into  two  basins,  each  with  its  own  exit  to  the 


BRUNSWICK  DOCK  85 

river.  The  largest  held  30  first-class  Indiamen,  and 
the  other  30  smaller  vessels.  At  the  west  end  of  the 
dock  he  put  a  masthouse,  such  a  building  as  has  long 
now  gone  the  way  of  all  things.  This  masthouse 
became  one  of  the  most  well-known  landmarks  on  the 
Thames.  For  sixty  years  it  showed  against  the  smoke - 
laden  London  sky — the  anxiously-looked  for  symbol  of 
home  to  hundreds  of  returning  Indiamen.  It  was 
shaped  something  like  an  American  grain  elevator, 
with  a  long  projecting  body,  in  which  the  sails  and  gear 
of  East  Indiamen  were  stowed.  From  the  top  of  its 
tower  a  crane  for  handling  the  masts  reared  its  head 
above  the  vessels  lying  alongside  the  wharf. 

The  first  ship  masted  here  was  the  East  Indiaman 
Lord  Macaulay,  on  the  25th  October,  1791.  The  yard 
records  state  that  "the  whole  suit  of  masts  and  bowsprit 
were  raised  and  fixed  in  three  hours  and  forty  minutes. " 

The  Friend  of  the  Family. 

In  1800  and  war  time,  the  Brunswick  Dock  and 
Blackwall  Yard  were  the  scene  of  many  a  national  event, 
for  here  the  troops  embarked  on  transports  for  the  war. 
Well-known  public  men  were  constantly  present  on 
these  occasions,  including  the  great  Pitt  himself. 
King  George,  also,  was  a  frequent  visitor,  and  was  so 
courteous  to  Perry  that,  amongst  the  latter 's  intimates, 
the  King  was  jokingly  referred  to  as  "The  Friend  of  the 
Family." 

King  George  III.  drinks  with  a  "True  Blue." 

On  one  occasion  King  George  was  inspecting  the 
embarkation  of  some  cavalry  before  a  large  number  of 
spectators,  when  a  jolly  tar,  who  was  described  as  "three 
sheets  in  the  wind  and  brimful  of  loyalty, "  forced  his 


36  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

way  to  the  side  of  the  King  and  held  out  a  quart  mug 
full  of  porter.  Then  after  "tonguing  his  quid,  un- 
shipping his  skyscraper  and  hitching  up  his  canvas," 
he  expressed  the  hope  that  His  Majesty  would  not 
refuse  a  drink  with  a  "true  blue." 

George  III.,  as  maybe  imagined,  was  somewhat  taken 
aback ;  the  undaunted  tar,  however,  again  urged  him 
to  "  take  a  sup , "  Whereupon  the  King  good  humouredly 
took  the  mug,  and  giving  the  toast,  "The  Army  and 
the  Navy, "  drank  down  the  porter  ;  then  presenting  the 
jolly  tar  with  a  guinea,  desired  him  to  drink  success  to 
the  campaign  and  long  life  to  the  King  and  Queen. 

George  Green. 

About  this  time  the  boy,  George  Green,  became 
an  apprentice  in  the  yard,  at  the  age  of  fifteen.  And  he 
used  to  relate  with  pride  how  he  had  once  buckled  on 
King  George's  spurs.  The  boy  soon  proved  himself  so 
keen  a  worker  that  he  attracted  the  notice  of  Mr.  Perry, 
and  he  was  often  to  be  found  in  the  workshops  long  after 
everyone  had  left,  busily  studying  the  higher  elements 
of  his  profession. 

Such  a  boy,  under  a  good  master,  was  bound  to  get  on ; 
and  we  soon  find  him,  like  Hogarth's  model  apprentice, 
marrying  his  employer's  daughter  and  being  taken  into 
partnership.  This  happened  in  1796,  and  not  long 
afterwards  Perry  married  George  Green's  sister. 

George  Green  was  the  second  son  of  a  brewer  in  Chelsea 
named  John  Green,  and  was  born  in  1767.  John  Green 
died  in  1772,  leaving  his  business  in  rather  a  bad  way, 
and  it  was  for  this  reason  that  George  Green  had  to 
fend  for  himself  and  thus  became  an  apprentice  in  the 
Blackwall  Yard.  George  Green  was  as  charitable  and 
popular  in  the  East  End  as  his  son  Richard.     Besides 


GEORGE    GREEN 


[To  face  Page  '■ 


SIR  ROBERT  WIGRAM  87 

building  almshouses  and  schools  in  Poplar,  he  erected 
Green's  Sailors'  Home  in  the  East  India  Dock  Road, 
in  1840-1.  He  also  built  the  Trinity  Schools  and 
Trinity  Chapel.  He  married  twice  and  was  eighty-two 
years  of  age  when  he  died  in  1849. 

Sir  Robert  Wigram. 

With  the  death  of  Mr.  Perry  in  1810,  the  yard 
again  changed  hands,  Sir  Robert  Wigram  buying  the 
Perry  shares.  This  man,  the  founder  of  the  Wigram 
fortunes,  was  one  of  the  greatest  business  men  of  his  day. 
Though  of  good  descent,  he  was  a  self-made  man  like 
his  partner,  George  Green,  and  his  history  is  worth 
relating.  His  father,  John  Wigram  of  Wexford,  was 
born  in  1712.  Little  is  known  about  him  except  that 
he  was  a  sailor  and  the  commander  of  a  privateer  called 
the  Boyne.  In  1742  he  sailed  from  Bristol  bound  for 
Malaga,  but  was  compelled  to  put  back  for  repairs  to  the 
Wexford  coast ;  here  he  met  Miss  Clifford  staying  with  a 
Mr.  Tinche  at  Ballyhally.  Again  he  sailed  but  again 
put  back  owing  to  bad  weather,  and  this  time  he  used 
the  opportunity  to  marry  Miss  Clifford. 

Robert  Wigram  was  born  at  Wexford  on  30th  January, 
1744,  but  he  never  saw  his  father  who  was  lost  at  sea, 
and  he  was  brought  up  by  his  uncle  and  mother.  On 
his  eighteenth  year  he  set  out  for  London  with  £200  in 
his  pocket  and  a  letter  from  his  mother  to  a  certain 
Dr.  Allen,  both  his  uncle  and  his  mother  being  anxious 
that  he  should  be  taught  medicine  by  their  friend  Dr. 
Allen.  Robert  Wigram  arrived  in  London  in  1762,  and 
as  he  did  not  know  a  soul  in  the  great  city,  went  off 
early  the  following  morning  to  Dulwich,  where  Dr.  Allen 
lived,  in  order  to  present  his  mother's  letter,  and  in 
hopes,  as  he  said,  of  being  offered  some  breakfast. 


ITn-f  41 


38  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

He  arrived  at  Dr.  Allen's  about  9  o'clock  and  was 
greeted  with  the  words:— "So,  young  man,  you  are 
come  to  London.  It  is  a  place  where,  if  you  fall  down, 
no  one  will  pick  you  up.''  But  when  the  boy  was 
leaving,  the  kindly  old  doctor  softened  and  said  :— 
"Come  any  morning  you  like  before  8  o'clock  and  I  will 
give  you  some  breakfast. "  This  Robert  Wigram  often 
did,  and  used  to  relate  how  he  hurried  across  the  open 
ground  about  Kennington  in  order  not  to  be  late. 

Robert  Wigram  was  undoubtedly  a  boy  of  unusual 
character;  very  shrewd,  long  sighted  and  business  like, 
yet  he  was  noted  for  his  generosity. 

When  quite  a  boy,  having  been  given  a  few  pence,  he 
once  saw  a  man  being  carried  off  to  prison  for  debt. 
He  immediately  ran  up  to  the  man  and  offered  him  the 
pennies.  In  after  life  whenever  one  of  his  numerous 
children  was  born,  he  made  a  practice  of  going  and 
releasing  some  prisoner  confined  for  debt  by  paying  up 
for  him.  And  he  had  such  a  rare  sense  of  gratitude 
that  he  always  tried  to  show  acknowledgment  in  kind 
for  any  gift  or  help  from  man,  and  any  mercy  or  blessing 
from  God. 

Dr.  Allen  showed  himself  a  true  friend.  He  took  the 
boy  as  his  apprentice ;  and  in  two  years  Robert  Wigram 
took  his  diploma  and  started  his  career  by  sailing  for 
India  as  surgeon  of  the  East  Indiaman  Admiral  Watson, 
of  400  tons.  William  Money,  who  became  Robert 
Wigram 's  life -long  friend,  was  second  officer  of  this 
ship.  The  Admiral  Watson  sailed  from  Portsmouth 
on  24th  February,  1764,  and  arrived  home  on  21st 
November,  1766. 

Wigram 's  second  voyage  was  made  in  the  Duke  of 
Richmond,  of  499  tons,  to  Bencoolen.  She  left  the  Downs, 
2nd  March,  1768,  and  arrived  home  16th  June,  1769. 


SIR   ROBERT  WIGRAM.  Bart.,   M.P. 


[  To  face  Page  38. 


SIR  ROBERT  WIGRAM  39 

His  third  and  last  voyage  was  made  in  the  British 
King,  of  499  tons,  to  Bencoolen  and  China,  sailing  from 
Plymouth  on  21st  February,  1770,  and  arriving  back  in 
the  Downs  on  25th  May,  1772. 

Whilst  in  China  during  this  vojage,  Wigram  con- 
tracted ophthalmia,  which  so  injured  his  eyesight  that 
he  gave  up  all  idea  of  going  to  sea  again,  as  it  unfitted 
him  for  a  surgeon's  work.  But  a  man  of  his  brain  had 
not  been  to  sea  for  eight  years  and  visited  the  wonderful 
East  for  nothing.  He  had  indeed  gained  such  a  know- 
ledge of  the  drug  trade  that  he  was  able  to  set  up  for 
himself  as  a  drug  merchant. 

He  relates  that  the  Dutch  and  Germans  bought 
nearly  all  their  wholesale  drugs  in  London,  and  that 
with  his  knowledge  of  the  trade  he  was  able  to  turn  his 
small  capital  to  advantage.  This  capital  was  only 
£3000,  and  the  year  he  started  business  he  also  married 
a  wife,  Catherine,  daughter  of  John  Brodhurst,  the 
wedding  taking  place  on  19th  December,  1772.  Sixteen 
years  later  he  adventured  his  whole  capital  in  buying 
his  first  ship;  this  was  the  celebrated  General  Goddard, 
of  755  tons,  which  he  purchased  from  his  old  friend,  the 
well-known  Commander  William  Money,  in  the  East 
India  Company's  employ. 

The  "General  Goddard,"  East  Indiaman. 

Robert  Wigram  bought  the  General  Goddard  after 
her  arrival  home  from  her  second  voyage.  She  turned 
out  a  very  good  investment,  being  taken  up  regularly 
every  voyage  by  the  East  India  Company.  On  her 
fifth  voyage  she  was  commanded  by  William  Taylor 
Money.  She  sailed  from  England  on  2nd  May,  1793. 
In  the  year  1795  she  was  waiting  for  a  convoy  home 
from  St.   Helena,   when  news  arrived  then  that  the 


40  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Dutch  Revolutionary  Party  had  joined  France  in  the 
war.  A  Dutch  fleet  of  seven  East  Indiamen  were 
expected  to  arrive  at  St.  Helena  at  any  moment. 

Captain  Money  hastily  fitted  out  the  General  Goddard 
as  a  30-gun  frigate,  and  started  on  a  cruise  with  H.M. 
ship  Sceptre,  64  guns,  the  Burbridge  an  East  Indiaman, 
and  the  Swallow  packet,  in  order  to  intercept  the  Dutch- 
men. The  General  Goddard  was  the  first  to  sight  the 
Dutch  East  Indiamen,  and  after  chasing  them  all  night 
he  came  up  with  them  and  at  daylight  captured 
the  lot  of  them,  the  other  three  ships  being  too  far 
off  to  give  him  any  assistance.  The  prizes  were 
carried  into  St.  Helena,  where  Captain  Money  received 
the  thanks  of  Vice -Admiral  Sir  William  Essington 
and  a  sword  of  honour  from  the  Governor  of  the  Island, 
Colonel  Brooke. 

The  prize  money,  two -thirds  of  the  value  of  the 
Dutch  ships  and  their  cargoes,  came  to  £76,664-  14s.,  of 
which  £61,331  15s.  2d.  was  awarded  to  the  General 
Goddard,  Sceptre,  Burbridge,  Swallow  and  Asia,  whilst 
Governor  Brooke  and  the  St.  Helena  garrison  and  a 
number  of  other  ships  in  the  Roads  were  given 
£15,332  18s.  lOd.  I  cannot  attempt  to  explain  the 
queer  vagaries  of  the  prize  court,  though  their  cal- 
culations were  so  exact  as  to  involve  the  use  of  shillings 
and  pence. 

The  General  Goddard  made  one  more  voyage  to  India 
for  the  company  in  1795-6  under  Captain  Thomas 
Graham. 

The  "True  Briton,*'  East  Indiaman. 

The  ship,  however,  which  really  founded  the 
large  fortune  of  Robert  Wigram  was  the  True  Briton, 
whose  name  was  kept  up  in  the  Wigram  fleet  to  the  end. 


TRUE  BRITON  41 

She  was  built  for  Wigram  in  Well's  Yard,  Deptford,  in 

1790,  and  measured  1198  tons. 

Her  voyages  under  the  East  India  Company's  gridiron 

were  as  follows : — 

1st  voyage — season  1790-1 — Capt.  Henry  Farrer,  to  Coast  and  China 
2nd     ,,  ,,  1793-4 —         „  ,,  Bombay  and  China 

3rd      ,,  ,,  1795-6 — Capt.  \Vm.  Stanley  Clarke,  to  China 

4th      „  ,,  1798-9 — Capt.  Henry  Farrer,  to  Coast  and  China 

5th      ,.  „  1800-1— Capt.  Wm.  T.  Clarke. 

On  this  voyage  Sir  Robert  Wigram  gave  her  to  his  son 
Robert  Wigram,  junior. 

6th  voyage — season  1803-4 — Capt.  Henry  Hughes,  to  China 

7th      ,,  ,,  1806-7— Capt.  Wm.  T.  Clarke,  Bombay  and  China 

8th     „  ,,  1808-9 — Capt.  George  Bonham, 

On  this  voyage  she  parted  company  with  the  other 
East  India  ships  in  the  China  Seas  on  the  18th  October, 
1809,  and  was  never  heard  of  again. 

The  second  True  Briton  was  nothing  like  as  fine  a  ship 
as  the  first.  She  was  built  in  the  Blackwall  Yard  in 
1835,  and  only  measured  646  tons,  and  I  find  I  have  the 
following  note  of  her  appearance: — "Very  ugly  bow, 
almost  straight  stem,  foremast  pitched  right  in  the  eyes, 
galleried  stern,  an  ugly  ship." 

The  third  True  Briton,  of  1046  tons,  built  in  1861, 
was,  however,  a  very  fine  ship  and  the  last  thing  in 
Blackwall  frigates. 

On  the  opposite  page  I  give  a  list  of  the  East  Indiamen 
owned  by  Sir  Robert  Wigram  and  taken  up  by  the  East 
India  Company. 

Robert  Wigram  was  possessed  of  far  too  much  energy 
to  content  himself  with  his  drug  business  and  that  of 
being  an  India-husband;  and  besides  becoming  a  ship- 
builder by  acquiring  the  ruling  interest  in  the  Blackwall 
Yard,  he  became  a  partner  in  Reid's  Brewery  (now 
Watney,    Combe,    Reid   &   Co.)  was  the  promoter  of 


42 


THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 


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SIR  ROBERT  WIGRAM  ■       43 

Huddart's  patent  for  hemp  cables — a  patent  by  means 
of  which  every  strand  in  a  cable  received  its  fair  share  of 
work — and  got  elected  to  Parliament  as  member  for  the 
little  seaport  of  Fowey,  in  Cormvall  As  if  this  was 
not  enough  occupation  for  one  man,  he  became  chairman 
of  the  new  East  India  Docks,  which  were  opened  in  1810. 
Incidentally  he  became  the  father  of  twenty-three 
sons,  and  in  later  years  it  was  his  custom  to  ride  to 
business  attended  by  a  bodyguard  of  never  less  than 
seven  of  these  sons,  to  the  admiration  of  the  neighbour- 
hood. Many  of  these  sons  became  well-known  men  of 
their  time,  notably  William,  immortalised  by  Macaulay 
as  "the  most  obstinate  of  the  East  India  Directors," 
who  was  for  many  years  Master  of  the  Pucker idge 
Foxhounds.  Another  became  Bishop  of  Rochester:  a 
third  was  a  Q.C.  and  member  for  Cambridge  University. 
Two  of  them.  Money  and  Henry  Loftus,  became  partners 
in  the  Black  wall  Yard. 

Robert  Wigram  was  made  a  baronet  by  Pitt,  of  whom 
he  was  a  most  staunch  supporter.  One  day,  before  Pitt 
had  become  acquainted  with  the  member  for  Fowey,  he 
was  leaving  the  House  after  making  an  important  speech, 
which  was  very  strongly  opposed,  when  he  noticed 
Robert  Wigram  amongst  the  few  members,  who  showed 
him  their  support,  by  attending  him  to  the  door.  And 
turning  to  one  of  his  friends  Pitt  asked,  "Who  is  the 
little  man  in  shorts?" 

This  incident  probably  refers  to  April,  1805,  when  the 
attack  on  Lord  Melville  was  carried  by  the  Opposition 
with  the  aid  of  the  Speaker's  vote. 

In  1819  Sir  Robert  Wigram  retired  from  business  and 
sold  the  whole  of  the  Blackwall  Yard  estate  to  George 
Green  and  his  two  sons.  Money  and  Henry  Loftus 
Wigram,  for  £40i500.     Green  took  a  half  share  and  the 


U  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

twoWigrams  a  quarter  each.  Before  his  death  Sir 
Robert  Wigram  made  handsome  provision  for  each  of 
his  sons,  besides  leaving  his  second  wife  a  house  and 
estate  at  Walthamstow  and  about  £5000  a  year.  He 
died  on  6th  November,  1830. 

The  Last  of  John  Company's  East  Indiamen. 

The  early  years  of  the  nineteenth  century  found 
the  Hon.  .John  Company's  East  Indiamen  at  their 
zenith,  as  has  invariably  been  the  case  with  every  type 
of  ship  just  before  her  eclipse. 

The  first-class  East  Indiaman,  during  the  first  twenty- 
five  years  of  the  nineteenth  century,  was  of  about  1.325 
tons  burthen,  mounted  26  guns  and  had  a  complement 
of  130  men.     These  ships  were  fit  to  be  compared  with 
naval  corvettes,  not  only  in  the  perfect  way  in  which 
they  were  kept  up  and  run,  but  in  their  discipline,   in 
the  social  status  of  their  ofiicers  and  in  the  fine  quality 
of  the  men  before  the  mast:   they  were,  in  fact,  run  like 
men-of-war,  and  to  be  in  the  employ  of  the  Hon.  Joim 
Company  was  considered  fit  for  any  man,  be  his  blood 
never  so  blue.     Indeed  the  younger  sons  of  the  nobility 
contested  with  the  moneyed  scions  of  merchant  princes 
and  the  offspring  of  the  professions  for  the  honour  and 
privilege  of  becoming  officers  in  the  "Mcrcliant  Service" 
as  that  of  the  East  India  Company  was  called,  in  order 
to  distinguish  it  from  the  Navy  and  the  free-traders. 
And  when  the  E.I. Co.  's  charters  expired  and  their  ships 
were  sold,   it  v/as  a  long  time  before  the  Mercantile 
Marine  of  Great  Britain  recovered   its   lost  status,    if 
indeed  it  ever  has,  for  not  only  was  there  a  tremendous 
falHng  off  in  the  size  and  efficiency  of  the  ships  and  the 
quality  and  professional  capacity  of  the  officers  and 
men,  but  the  dignity  of  trade  also  collapsed. 


EAST  INDIAMEN  45 

Up  to  the  last  days  of  the  East  India  Company,  trade 
was  still  considered  in  the  romantic  light  of  Elizabethan 
days.  Those  who  opened  up  new  trades  were  still 
distinguished  as  social  lions  and  called  "gentlemen 
adventurers."  And  it  was  only  after  the  East  India 
Company  had  lost  its  privileges  and  its  power  that 
merchants  and  shipowners  came  to  be  considered  dull 
and  prosaic  money-makers  with  no  quality  of  romance 
about  them. 

The  following  of  these  splendid  first-class  East 
Indiamen  were  built  in  the  Black  wall  Yard  during  the 
last  days  of  the  Hon.  East  India  Company: — 1813, 
Lady  Melville,  1321  tons;  1816,  Waterloo,  1325  tons; 
1817,  Canning,  1326  tons;  Duke  of  York,  1327  tons,  and 
Thomas  Coutts,  1384  tons;  1818,  Kellie  Castle,  1350 
tons,  and  Dunira,  1325  tons;  1820,  Repulse,  1333  tons; 
Rotjal  George,  1333  tons,  and  Kent,  1332  tons;  1821, 
Duchess  of  Athol,  1333  tons;  Sural  Castle,  1223  tons; 
1825,  Abercrombie  Robinson,  1325  tons,  and  Edinburgh, 
1325  tons. 

Probably  the  best  known  of  the  above  was  the  beauti- 
ful Thomas  Coutts,  of  which  there  is  a  well-known 
aquatint  by  Huggins.  She  crossed  three  skysail  yards 
and  would  have  been  a  fast  ship  in  any  company. 

In  1826,  under  the  command  of  Alexander  Chrystie, 
she  went  out  to  Bombay  in  82  days  from  the  Channel, 
arriving  in  Bombay  harbour  on  2nd  June.  From 
Bombay  she  went  on  to  China,  calling  at  Singapore,  and 
she  finally  arrived  in  the  Downs  on  2nd  March,  1827, 
having  made  the  quickest  voyage  on  record,  being  out 
ten  days  less  than  a  year. 

The  Kent  is  celebrated  for  a  very  tragic  reason ;  for  in 
1825  she  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay 
when  carrying  troops— her  end  being  always  given  a 


46  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

very  prominent  place  in  all  books  dealing  with  disasters 

at  sea. 

Henry  Green  apprenticed  as  a  Shipwright. 

In  1822,  Henry  Green,  George  Green's  second  son  and 
the  future  partner  of  the  firm  of  R.  &  H.  Green,  was 
apprenticed  as  a  shipwright  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  and 
he  made  such  progress  that  in  1824  he  was  appomted 
assistant  foreman  in  the  building  of  the  ship  -Simon 
Taylor,  of  408  tons.  The  following  year  he  was  sent 
to  sea  as  fifth  officer  of  the  East  Indiaman  VansittarU 
Captain  Dalrymple,  and  in  1827  he  went  a  second 
voyage  in  the  well-known  Charles  Grant.  It  will  thus 
be  seen  that  he  had  an  all-round  training. 

The  "Carn  Brae  Castle." 

The  year  1824  was  a  notable  one  in  the  fortunes  of 
the  Blackwall  Yard.  Besides  the  Sural  Castle,  two 
smaller  East  Indiamen  were  launched— the  Lord 
Amherst,  506  tons,  and  the  Cam  Brae  Castle,  of  570  tons. 
This  last  vessel  was  the  first  of  her  type..  She  was 
designed  by  Captain  Huddart  specially  for  the  passenger 
trade  to  Calcutta  and  was  considered  the  finest  vessel  of 
her  day.  She  was  afterwards  lost  in  Freshwater  Bay, 
Isle  of  Wight,  on  the  day  she  left  Portsmouth,  having 
stood  in  too  close  to  the  land  whilst  the  captain  and 
passengers  were  at  dinner.  She  was  owned,  by  the  way, 
by  Captain  Davey,  a  retired  John  Company  officer. 

The  *'Sir  Edward  Paget,"  Pioneer  Ship  of 
Green's  Blackwall  Line. 

In  this  year,  also,  the  Sir  Edward  Paget  was 
purchased  by  Mr.  George  Green  on  his  own  account  and 
thus  was  the  first  of  Green's  Line  of  passenger  ships  to 
Calcutta. 


GREEN'S  HOUSE-FLAG  47 

The  Paget,  as  she  was  usually  called,  was  a  very  smart 
ship  and  most  elaborately  fitted.  She  was  commanded 
by  Captain  Geary,  a  Captain  in  the  Royal  Navy. 

The  Origin  of  Green's  House-FIag. 

The  Paget  hoisted  a  square  white  flag  with  a  St. 
George's  Cross  through  the  centre  as  the  house-flag  of  the 
new  line.  This,  however,  was  not  allowed  to  fly  for 
long.  On  her  arrival  at  Spithead,  when  outward  bound, 
she  flew  her  new  flag  at  the  main.  The  Admiral  of  the 
port  immediately  sent  off  to  inquire  what  ship  it  was 
that  dared  to  fly  an  Admiral's  flag.  On  learning  the 
facts  of  the  case,  he  at  once  ordered  it  to  be  hauled  down. 
The  story  goes  that  the  chief  officer  of  the  Paget,  on 
hearing  of  the  peremptory  command  of  the  port  Admiral, 
dashed  aloft,  swarmed  the  flagpole,  and  cutting  off  the 
tail  of  his  blue  coat,  pinned  it  in  the  centre  of  the  flag. 
This  makes  a  good  story — but  it  was  also  said  that  a 
sailor's  blue  handkerchief  was  sewn  in  the  centre  of  the 
flag  in  order  to  satisfy  the  Admiral  and  comply  with 
the  Navy  Regulations.  Of  the  two,  this  seems  the 
more  likely  yarn,  but  whichever  way  the  difficulty  was 
overcome  this  makeshift  flag  henceforth  became  the 
house-flag  of  the  Blackwall  Line:  and  when  the  two 
families  of  Green  and  Wigram  dissolved  partnership  in 
1843,  they  settled  the  matter  of  altering  the  flag  in  a 
verv  neat  way.  Wigram  retained  the  flag  in  its  old 
form,  of  blue  square  over  red  cross,  whilst  Green  put 
the  red  cross  over  the  blue  square. 

The  ♦♦Paget"  run  Man-of-War  Fashion. 

After  this  slight  set-back  the  lordly  Paget 
continued  her  voyage.  On  her  arrival  back  in  the 
Thames,  she  brought  up  off  the  yard,  and  George  Green 
immediately  went  on  board  to  inspect  her.       To  his 


48  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

amazement  he  was  received  in  real  man-of-war  fashion. 
The  yards  were  manned,  a  sakite  fired  and  the  ship's 
band  played  "The  Conquering  Hero."  And  he  soon 
found  that  down  to  the  smallest  detail  the  ship  was  run 
Navy  fashion.  However,  Captain  Geary's  heavy  man- 
of-war  style  of  carrying  on  was  far  from  being  a  financial 
success,  and  on  her  second  voyage  the  Paget  received  a 
new  captain  and  a  new  set  of  ships'  regulations. 

The  Shipwrights'  Strike  on  the  Thames. 

In  1825,  besides  the  sister  ships  Abercrombie 
Robinson  and  Edinburgh,  Green  &  Wigram  built  the 
Roxburgh  Castle,  of  565  tons,  and  chartered  her  to  the 
H.E.I.C. 

In  1826  they  built  the  Hudson  Bay  trader  Prince 
Rupert,  of  229  tons. 

In  1829  George  Green's  eldest  son,  Richard,  was 
taken  into  partnership.  In  this  year  the  firm,  now 
styled  Green,  Wigram  &  Green,  began  to  take  an 
interest  in  the  whaling  trade  to  the  South  Seas,  and 
bought  the  whaler  Matilda,  and  also  laid  down  the 
Harpooner,  of  374  tons. 

In  1830  a  great  shipwrights'  strike  began  on  the 
Thames.  This  lasted  so  long  that  grass  grew  on  the 
building  slips  at  Blackwall,  and  the  foreman  and 
apprentices  worked  together  at  any  odd  jobs  that  came 
in.  The  shipwrights  eventually  gained  the  day,  and 
their  union  dates  from  that  year. 

By  this  time  the  building  of  large  Indiamen  for  the 
service  of  the  H.E.I.C.  had  practically  ceased,  in  view 
of  the  approaching  expiration  of  their  charter.  But 
several  private  firms  were  preparing  to  enter  the  lists  in 
competition  for  the  Eastern  trade,  and  not  least  of  these 
were  Green  &  Wigram. 


PART  II. 
•  *  A  VOYAGE  OUT  EAST  IN  THE  GOOD  OLD  DAYS ' ! 

A  hundrtd  years  is  a  very  long  time, 

Oh-ho!    Yes  !    oh-ho  ! 
A  hundred  years  is  a  very  long  time, 

A   hundred   years   ago. 

They  hung  a  man  for  making  steam, 

Oh-ho  !    Yes  !    oh-ho  ! 
They  cast  his  body  in  the  stream, 

A  hundred  years  ago. — (Old  Chanty.) 

The  Merchant  Service. 

TDEFORE  we  bid  goodbye  to  the  stately  ships  of  the 
■'""^  Hon.  East  India  Company,  let  us  take  a  voyage 
out  East  in  the  "Merchant  Service,  "  as  the  company's 
employ  was  called.  Up  to  the  eighteen  thirties,  if  you 
said  you  were  in  the  Merchant  Service  you  were  con- 
sidered an  exceedingly  lucky  person,  with  a  smooth  path 
through  life  in  front  of  you  and  an  eventual  fortune. 
Socially  you  were  considered  the  equal  of  your  confreres 
of  the  naval  service;  and  you  looked  down  with  the 
most  disdainful  eye  upon  anyone  in  any  other  kind  of 
sea  trade. 

We  will,  however,  ship  as  passengers,  and  take  cuddy- 
berths  for  Calcutta  in  a  first-class  ship  along  with  the 
"nabobs"  and  the  "griffins."  The  first  thing  to  do  is 
to  look  down  the  shipping  columns,  to  find  out  what 
ships  have  been  taken  up  for  the  ensuing  season.  Ah  I 
here  is  an  East  India  shipping  notice  of  1830. 


£ 


4d 


50  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

East  India  Shipping  Notice. 

"On  the  15th  of  May  a  Court  of  Directors  was 
held  at  the  East  India  House,  when  the  following  ships 
were  taken  up,  viz. : — 

Duke  of  York,  Scalehy  Castle,  Warren  Hastings,  Kellie  Castle, 
Buckinghamshire,  Castle  Huntley,  and  Vansittart,  for  Bengal  and  China. 

The  Marquis  of  Huntley,  Duke  of  Sussex,  Herefordshire,  Farquharson, 
and  Lady  Melville  for  Bombay  and  China. 

The  Waterloo,  Thomas  Grenville,  Minerva  and  Prince  Regent,  for 
China  direct. 

Captain  Bryan  Broughton  o^  the  ship  Earl  of  Balcarres 
took  leave  of  the  Court  previous  to  departing  for  China 
direct. " 

An  India  Husband. 

The  first  point  to  remark  on  is  the  fact  that  the 
ships  were  not  as  a  rule  owned  by  the  East  India 
Company.  They  were  "taken  up"  for  one  voyage  or 
more — that  is  to  say,  they  were  chartered  from  private 
owners. 

A  private  owner  was  called  a  "ship's  husband,"  and 
an  "India  husband"  was  the  term  applied  to  a  man  who 
chartered  ships  to  the  H.E.I.C,  which  ships  were 
specially  built  for  the  East  India  trade  and  conformed 
in  every  particular  of  design  and  building  material  to 
the  rules  and  regulations  laid  down  by  the  company. 
An  India  husband  was  usually  a  very  rich  man  and  a 
large  shareholder  in  the  East  India  Company  itself. 
The  East  India  Company  was  a  monopoly  in  the  hands 
of  a  few  men,  and  an  outsider  had  little  chance  of  getting 
inside  the  ring. 

To  return  to  our  shipping  notice,  all  the  above  ships 
were  well  known  Indiamen.  It  will  be  noticed  that 
they  were  mostly  called  after  historic  castles  and  titled 


EARL  OF  BALCARRES  51 

men,  but  there  was  never  any  uniform  method  of  naming 
Indiamen,  as  is  the  fashion  with  every  shipping  line 
nowadays. 

The  "Earl  of  Balcarres." 

The  Earl  of  Balcarres,  mentioned  above,  was  one 
of  the  best  known  ships  of  her  day,  and  no  finer  specimen 
of  an  old  type  Indiaman  was  ever  built.  She  was 
constructed  entirely  of  teak  in  the  company's  dockyard 
at  Bombay  in  1815  and  measured  1417  tons.  In  her 
early  days  she  carried  two  tiers  of  guns,  and  in  most  ways 
was  hardly  at  all  inferior  to  a  two -decked  man-of-war. 
Her  ship's  company  consisted  of  commander,  6  mates, 
surgeon  and  assistant  surgeon,  6  midshipmen,  purser, 
bosun,  gunner,  carpenter,  master-at-arms,  armourer, 
butcher,  baker,  poulterer,  caulker,  cooper,  2  stewards, 
2  cooks,  2  bosun's  mates,  2  gunner's  mates,  2  carpenter's 
mates,  1  cooper's  mate,  1  caulker's  mate,  6  quarter- 
masters, 1  sailmaker,  7  officers'  servants  and  78  seamen 
—130  in  all. 

In  1831,  owing  to  the  coming  expiration  of  their 
charter  in  1833,  the  H.E.I.C.  and  the  India  husbands 
began  gradually  to  sell  their  ships,  but  it  was  not  until 
17th  September,  1834,  that  this  old  favourite  was  sold. 
Though  nineteen  years  of  age,  the  Earl  of  Balcarres  was 
by  no  means  past  her  prime,  and  she  realised  £10,700, 
an  amount  only  equalled  by  the  Thames,  which  had 
been  sold  two  years  earlier,  and  exceeded  in  the  case  of 
the  Lowther  Castle,  which  fetched  £13,950.  Both  the 
Earl  of  Balcarres  and  the  Lowther  Castle  were  bought  by 
Joseph  Somes.  The  Earl  of  Balcarres,  after  over  fifty 
years  of  active  service,  eventually  ended  her  career  as  a 
hulk  on  the  West  Coast  of  Africa. 


62  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Fast  Passages  of  East  Indiamen. 

Though  speed  was  far  from  being  the  first 
desideratum  in  the  building  of  these  old  timers,  and  sail 
was  always  reduced  at  night,  they  were  often  very  fast 
before  the  wind  with  stunsails  set.  That  the  Earl  of 
Balcarres  was  unusually  fast  for  her  type  may  be  proved 
by  a  passage  of  79  days  which  she  made  to  Bombay  in 
the  year  1836. 

The  Thomas  Coutts,  also,  was  a  fast  ship.  She 
arrived  in  Bombay,  82  days  out  from  England,  on  2nd 
June,  1826.  She  went  on  to  China,  and  sailing  for  home 
via  St.  Helena  arrived  in  the  Downs  on  2nd  March, 
1827,  having  made  the  quickest  voyage  to  the  East  on 
record. 

The  Lord  Wellington  as  far  back  as  1820  went  from 
London  to  Calcutta  in  82  days,  without  ever  doing  more 
than  200  miles  a  day. 

The  Castle  Huntley  left  Torbay,  1st  April,  passed  the 
Lizard  6th  April  and  arrived  Bombay  22nd  June,  77 
days  from  the  Lizard. 

The  Thames  left  China  on  the  18th  November,  1831, 
passed  Java  Head  on  5th  December,  St.  Helena  on  28th 
January,  1832,  and  arrived  off  Portland  13th  March 
115  days  from  China. 

This  Thames  was  built  in  London  in  1819,  measured 
1425  tons,  and  was  one  of  the  finest  ships  in  the  service. 
Cook,  R.A.,  made  a  beautiful  etching  of  this  ship 
getting  underweigh  from  the  Isle  of  Wight,  which  has 
often  been  reproduced  as  an  illustration. 

Smuggling  on  an  East  Indiaman. 

At  one  time  in  her  career  the  Thames  became  the 
cause  of  a  rather  unusual  case  in  the  Law  Courts.  Her 
chief    officer    was    prosecuted    and    heavily    fined    for 


THE  LONDON  RIVER  53 

smuggling.  It  appears  that  on  her  arrival  off  the 
Scillies  from  the  East  a  pilot  boat  brought  off  six  or 
seven  men  who  immediately  repaired  to  the  mate's 
cabin.  Here  they  found  a  rich  display  of  silks,  which 
they  proceeded  to  wind  round  their  bodies  under  their 
clothes.  But,  not  content  with  this,  the  mate  lowered 
a  further  supply,  neatly  packed  in  cases,  into  the  boat 
alongside,  which  thereupon  returned  to  the  islands 
with  its  crew  of  living  mummies.  Unluckily  for  this 
enterprising  mate,  these  proceedings  were  spied  upon 
by  an  unsportsmanlike  passenger,  who  informed  against 
him  on  the  ship's  arrival  at  Gravesend. 

Passage  Money  and  Cabin  Furniture. 

Our  passage  money  of  something  over  £100 
having  been  paid,  we  next  have  to  buy  furniture  for  our 
cabin,  for  though  the  ship  provides  table  wines  in  the 
most  liberal  fashion,  it  does  not  supply  linen  or  furniture 
for  the  tiny  cabin,  and  the  traveller  to  the  East  was 
accustomed  to  move  about  with  a  small  house  on  his 
back.  We  send  our  mountain  of  luggage  and  cabin 
furniture  aboard  while  the  ship  is  in  dock,  but  wait 
before  going  aboard  to  arrange  our  home  for  so  many 
months,  until  the  ship  has  left  the  docks  and  is  anchored 
off  Blackwall  Stairs. 

The  London  River  in  1830. 

One  fine  spring  afternoon  we  decide  to  take  a 
waterman  at  Temple  Stairs,  drop  down  on  the  ebb  and 
take  a  look  at  our  ship.  It  is  one  of  those  days  which 
shrouds  London  in  wreaths  of  blue  mist  and  turns  the 
smoky  metropolis  into  a  very  city  of  mystery,  where 
sudden  shafts  of  gold  from  a  hidden  sun  pierce  the  haze 
and  reveal  towers  and  steeples  of  a  fairy -like  beauty,  in 
the  midst  of  which  St.  Paul 's  gleams  like  a  globe  of  silver. 


64  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

There  was  no  Embankment  with  its  trim  rows  of 
electric  lamps  in  those  days,  only  a  muddy  foreshore 
littered  with  barges.  Some  of  these  are  in  tiers,  made 
fast  to  piles  in  the  river;  others  have  their  noses  on  the 
ground,  and  their  lofty  spritsail  yards  with  the  rich 
brown  sails  rise  above  the  squalid  slums  which  lie  at 
the  back  of  the  Strand. 

Around  the  well-worn  steps  of  the  Temple  Stairs 
cluster  a  crowd  of  wherries,  all  rich  in  yellow  varnish 
and  each  with  its  name  gaily  painted  across  the  stern 
sheets.  As  we  approach,  the  nodding  watermen 
suddenly  spring  into  eager  rivalry  and  speedily  deafen 
us  with  the  hoarsely  shouted  merits  of  their  boats. 
Which  shall  we  choose— "the  Will  of  the  Wise,"  the 
"Rose  in  June"  or  the  "Victory" — wisdom,  beauty  or 
glory  ? 

The  last  of  these  has  a  boatman  with  the  real  old 
tarpaulin  cut  about  him.  His  face  is  rugged  and  tanned 
to  leather  by  the  winds.  His  grizzled  hair  is  tied  in  a 
pigtail — a  mode  long  since  gone  out  of  fashion.  Silver 
hoops  adorn  his  ears.  And  the  straight  white  scar  of  a 
boarding  cutlass  stretches  across  his  cheek  to  the  very 
edge  of  his  mouth,  which  is  ceaselessly  at  movement 
upon  the  "chaw  of  tobaccy,"  which  was  almost  more 
than  meat  and  drink  to  the  sailor  of  his  day. 

He  wears  a  well-oiled  sou'wester  hat,  a  blue  coat, 
brass -buttoned  and  very  wide  in  the  skirts,  and  white 
bell-mouthed  breeches.  Below  the  lapel  of  his  coat  a 
couple  of  faded  ribbons  can  be  seen  roughly  pinned  to 
the  cloth  by  a  seaming  needle,  whilst  on  his  left  arm  is 
buckled  the  badge  of  his  calling. 

Without  hesitation  we  beckon  this  old  shellback 
alongside  and  step  aboard.  And  we  are  scarcely  under- 
weigh  before  our  glance  at  a  hairy  tattooed  fist  which 


THE  LONDON  RIVER  55 

lacks  two  fingers  brings  out  the  glorious  story  of 
Trafalgar. 

Then,  as  we  listen  to  his  yarn,  the  wherry  swings  out 
through  the  swirling  tide  beneath  London  bridge,  and 
we  find  ourselves  hemmed  in  by  shipping  on  every  side. 
Forests  of  spars  block  out  the  sky,  and  well-tarred  hulls, 
bluff -bowed  and  barrel-sided,  hide  the  yellow  waters  of 
the  busy  river.  With  a  stroke  here  and  a  backwater 
there,  our  waterman  cleverly  dodges  through  the 
confusion  of  the  Upper  Pool. 

Here  he  slips  under  the  well-steeved  jibboom  of  a 
Geordie  brig,  taking  care  to  keep  well  to  windward  of 
the  cloud  of  black  dust  which  fills  the  air  around  her,  for 
she  is  unloading  her  coal  into  a  dumb-barge  alongside — 
coal-whipping,  as  this  process  was  called.  Here  he 
swings  under  the  stern  of  a  free-trade  barque ;  then  has 
to  pull  across  the  tide  to  avoid  a  veritable  battle  of  the 
coals,  in  which  something  like  a  hundred  of  these  grim 
weather-beaten  North -Countrymen  are  taking  part. 

Geordie  Brigs. 

These  same  rough-looking  colliers  have  for  long 
been  one  of  the  finest  nurseries  for  British  seamen. 
As  far  back  as  the  Stuarts,  in  the  Dutch  wars,  the 
Admiralty  always  relied  on  the  arrival  of  the  North- 
Country  coal  fleet  in  the  Thames  to  complete  the 
manning  of  the  Red,  Blue,  and  White  squadrons,  which 
lay  off  the  buoy  of  the  Nore,  in  readiness  to  put  out  after 
de  Renter  or  Van  Tromp. 

Many  a  famous  merchant  seaman  served  his  time 
in  an  East  Coast  brig.  It  was  always  the  custom  to 
carry  seamen  apprentices  in  the  Geordies,  indeed  it  was 
impossible  for  a  greenhorn  who  had  not  signed  appren- 
ticeship articles — a  "  half -marrow,  "  as  he  was  called — 


66  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

to  get  shipped  in  a  Tyne  collier.  When  these  appren- 
tices had  served  their  time— a  matter  usually  of  seven 
years — they  had  to  pass  an  examination  in  seamanship 
before  a  committee  of  foremast  hands  before  being 
considered  able  seamen.  It  was  a  real  marlinspike 
examination,  in  which  the  candidate  had  to  prove  his 
skill  in  putting  a  clew  or  reef  cringle  into  a  sail,  turn  up 
a  shroud,  graft  a  bucket  rope,  fit  a  mast  cover,  fish  a 
spar,  gammon  a  bowsprit,  and  make  all  the  many 
kinds  of  fancy,  stopper  and  ornamental  knots.  The 
most  famous  of  all  Geordie  apprentices  was  Captain 
Cook,  who  was  not  only  brought  up  in  a  collier,  but 
deliberately  chose  a  collier  in  which  to  make  his  voyages 
of  discovery. 

The  Discovery  was  built  by  Langborne,  of  Whitby,  in 
1774,  measured  229  tons  burthen,  and,  at  Cook's  desire, 
was  purchased  into  the  Navy  at  a  cost  of  £2450.  In 
1830,  the  date  of  our  voj^age,  she  lay  moored  at  Deptford, 
ignobly  used  by  an  ungrateful  country  as  that  horror  of 
horrors,  a  prison  ship.  Yet  she  was  by  no  means  as  old 
as  some  of  those  vessels  whipping  coal  to  leeward  or 
tiding  down  the  river  with  our  wherry.  Many  of  these 
Geordie  brigs  with  "stem  and  stern  sawed  off  square 
like  a  sugar-box"  were  close  on  100  years  old. 

The  ♦* Betsy  Cains.'* 

The  most  historic  of  colliers  was  the  Betsy  Cains, 
which  went  to  pieces  in  a  gale  of  wind  off  Tynemouth  in 
February,  1827.  At  the  time  of  her  wreck,  the  Jslew- 
castle  Courant  published  the  following  statement: — 

In  1688  the  Betsy  Cains  brought  over  to  England  William,  Prince 
of  Orange,  and  was  then  called  the  Princess  Mary;  for  a  number  of  years 
she  was  one  of  Queen  Anne's  Royal  yachts;  and  at  that  time  was 
considered  a  remarkably  fast  sailing  vessel. 


BETSY  CAINS  57 

The  Betsy  Cains  was  certainly  a  very  old  vessel,  and 
the  amount  of  carving  and  gilding  about  her  stem  and 
stern  proved  that  she  had  not  always  been  a  collier. 
For  years  it  was  believed  that  she  had  been  the  vessel 
that  brought  the  Prince  of  Orange  over,  and  there  was 
even  an  old  prophecy  which  said  that  the  Papists  would 
never  get  the  upper  hand  whilst  the  Betsy  Cains 
remained  afloat. 

But  it  has  since  been  proved  from  old  shipping  lists 
and  Admiralty  Court  reports  that  she  could  not  have 
been  the  vessel  which  brought  over  the  Prince,  yet  may 
possibly  have  been  the  Royal  yacht  Mary,  which  brought 
Queen  Mary  over.  At  her  wreck  so  many  legends  were 
current  about  her  that  she  was  practically  pulled  to 
pieces  by  relic  hunters. 

The  Betsy  Cains  measured  83  ft.  3  in.  long  by  23  ft. 
beam.  She  was  brig-rigged,  but  carried  the  old  mizen 
yard,  setting  a  lateen  sail.  Before  she  was  turned 
into  a  collier  she  is  supposed  to  have  run  for  many 
years  as  a  West  India  sugar  ship. 

The  "Brotherly  Love.*' 

Another  North-Country  centenarian  was  the 
collier  brig  Brotherly  Love,  which  was  run  down  and 
sunk  off  the  Yorkshire  coast  in  1878.  This  vessel 
was  built  at  Ipswich  in  1764,  and  measured  214  tons; 
86.5  ft.  length,  24  ft.  beam,  17  ft.  depth.  She  is 
thus  described  in  Fairplay  of  27th  June,  1890:— 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  of  the  wooden  ships  I  have  known  was 
the  Brotherly  Love,  of  South  Shields.  This  ship  was  built  in  the  early 
part  of  the  last  century  and  was  owned  by  the  late  Mr.  James  Young  of 
South  Shields,  who  inherited  her  from  his  father,  to  whom  the  brig 
descended,  I  believe,  from  his  father. 

The  amount  of  care  which  Mr.  Young  bestowed  on  this  venerable 
brig  was  the  talk  of  the  Tyne,  and  her  goings  and  comings  were  retailed 


58 


THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 


from  hand  to  hand  as  items  of  personal  news,  in  which  the  whole 
community  was  interested. 

She  made  her  voyages  between  the  Tyne  and  Thames  as  faithfully 
and  regularly  as  any  of  her  younger  sisters,  and  quaint  as  was  her  build, 
there  was  a  business-like  air  about  her,  which  shewed  that  the  old 
builders  knew  what  they  were  after. 

Never  was  private  yacht  more  carefully  overhauled,  repaired  and 
painted  than  was  the  Brotherly  Love.  Mr.  Young  made  a  perfect  pet 
of  her,  and  "Old  Jimmy,"  ais  he  was  called,  must  have  expended  her 
value  over  and  over  again  on  her  upkeep.  Still  she  was  the  pride  of 
his  fleet  and  the  wonder  of  the  port. 

Geordie  Characteristics. 

One  is  tempted  to  linger  amongst  these  fascin- 
ating old  ships,  but  space  forbids ;  the  following  however, 
deserve  a  place  alongside  the  Betsy  Cains  and  Brotherly 
Love,  as  belonging  to  the  ancient  order  of  "Geordies." 


Date 
Built 

Name 

Tons 

Leng'h 

Beam 

Depth 

Where  built 

1765 
1776 
1792 

KUty 

Amphitrite  - 
Cognac  Packet 

130 
303 
169 

79.2 

103.6 

84.4 

22.3 

27 

23 

13.5 
16.6 
14.6 

Whitehaven 
North  Shields 
Bursledon, 
Hamble  River 

The  Kitty  foundered  in  1884,  when  crossing  from 
Dieppe  to  Runcorn  with  a  cargo  of  flints,  at  which  time 
both  the  others  were  still  afloat.  The  Cognac  Packet 
was  built  for  the  French  brandy  trade,  as  her  name 
indicates;  she  was  still  in  the  coasting  trade  in  her 
hundredth  year,  and  ended  her  days  in  Harwich  harbour. 

It  would  be  a  mistake  to  think  that  these  ancient 
Geordie  brigs  and  snows  were  specially  slow,  though 
their  bows  were  as  round  as  an  apple  and  stem  piece 
often  a  square  baulk  of  timber. 

Mr.  Joseph  Conrad,  who  saw  one  of  the  above  cele- 
brities on  the  mud  having  her  bottom  scraped  and  also 
encountered  her  at  sea,  whilst  in  a  Geordie  himself, 
bears  the  following  testimony  to  her  speed.      "  That 


NORTH-COUNTRY  COLLIERS  59 

old  ghost  used  to  beat  all  the  coasting  fleet  fairly  out  of 
sight  with  the  wind  free,  simply  because  of  the  amazing 
fineness  of  her  run. " 

Those  who  were  brought  up  in  these  old  North- 
Country  colliers  learnt  their  trade  in  a  rough  school, 
yet  it  was  a  very  fine  one.  The  decks  of  some  of  these 
old  timers  were  so  full  of  ups  and  downs  that  one  was 
obliged  to  wash  them  down  in  several  places  at  once  to 
avoid  leaving  "holidays,"  yet  they  were  solid  as  so 
much  rock.  There  was  no  chance  of  growing  soft 
aboard  such  vessels.  The  ordinary  method  of  boarding 
a  ship  by  a  gangway  ladder  was  considered  effeminate 
in  a  Geordie,  and  even  their  captains  used  the  chain 
cable  as  their  entry  port. 

These  old  skippers  were  a  race  to  themselves.  One 
of  the  best  known  made  a  practice  of  going  ashore  in 
his  out  port,  barefooted,  his  excuse  being  that  he  was 
not  known  in  the  place;  yet  he  traded  there  regularly 
voyage  after  voyage.  Their  one  failing  was  drink,  and 
it  is  to  be  feared  that  under  its  influence  they  were  often 
most  brutally  cruel  to  the  wretched  ship's  boy,  who 
was  also  a  feature  of  the  times. 
Heavy  Horsemen,  Light  Horsemen  and 
River  Pirates. 
But  to  return  to  our  wherry.  We  pass  Billings- 
gate, round  whose  wharves  a  cluster  of  smacks  are 
hustling  to  land  their  catches.  On  the  other  side  we 
notice  a  row  of  gaily  painted  Dutch  eel -boats.  These 
were  granted  their  privileged  moorings  abreast  of  the 
Fishmarket  by  no  less  a  person  than  Queen  Bess.  She 
made  one  condition,  however,  namely  that  the  mooring 
was  never  to  be  left  vacant,  and  that  is  why  the  Dutch 
eel-boat  became  one  of  the  best  known  sights  in  the 
London  River, 


60  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

.  All  around  us  river  craft,  large  and  small,  ply  their 
oars  or  urge  their  sweeps.  A  boat  passes,  half -covered 
by  a  tarpaulin,  and  we  catch  the  words  "heavy  horse- 
men" grumbled  beneath  our  waterman's  breath,  and 
we  realise  that,  in  spite  of  the  newly  opened  docks,  the 
river  thieves  still  carry  on  a  roaring  trade.  These 
"heavy  horsemen"  are  ship  burglars.  They  ply  their 
trade  boldly  in  broad  daylight;  and  with  the  "light 
horsemen,"  the  nightriders  of  the  river,  are  the  "top 
sawyers"  of  its  large  criminal  population. 

They  looked  down  upon  the  "scuffle-hunters,"  who 
pilfered  pettily  by  means  of  large  aprons;  upon  the 
bumboat-men  and  the  rat-catchers,  who  used  their 
trade  as  an  excuse  to  rob;  and,  above  all,  upon  the 
"mudlarks,"  who  swarmed  round  a  "game  ship"  at 
low  water  and  grubbed  for  plunder  in  the  mud.  These 
river  pirates  feed  hundreds  of  receivers,  whose  dens  line 
the  river  banks ;  and  they  load  hundreds  of  "jew  carts, " 
which  drive  off  inland  to  dispose  of  their  spoils. 

Under  the  tarpaulin  of  those  heavy  horsemen  we 
should  no  doubt  have  discovered  several  bulging  black 
bags,  known  in  the  trade  as  "black  strap."  These 
bags  contained  the  day's  loot. 

Shipping  in  the  River. 

And  now  as  we  progress  down  stream,  the  river 
begins  to  grow  slightly  less  crowded,  and  the  ships 
themselves  larger. 

Here  are  the  timber  droghers  from  the  Baltic;  there 
the  wine  ships  from  the  Portugals :  whilst,  snuggling 
close  to  a  high-sided,  lofty-rigged  sou-Spainer  nestles 
a  rakish-looking  coast-of-Guinea-man,  a  low  black 
Baltimore  clipper  with  a  murderous  long  torn  between 
her  masts.     She  looks  for  all  the  world  like  a  pirate 


THE  LONDON  RIVER  61 

hooked  on  to  a  scared  West  Indiaman,  and  Yankee 
slaver  is  writ  large  all  over  her  from  her  clean-scraped 
topmasts  to  her  well-scrubbed  copper.  A  little  further 
on  one  of  the  bright -green  Gravesend  packets  passes  us 
with  a  tremendous  clatter  of  paddle  wheels  and  a  noisy 
*'  chunk -chunk  "  of  engines.  She  is  crowded  with 
people,  for  she  shares  the  passenger  traffic  of  London 
with  the  "  growler  "  and  the  ridge-roofed  omnibus,  and 
of  the  three  provides  by  far  the  most  interestmg  ride. 

Her  predecessor,  the  old  hoy,  is  still,  however,  in 
evidence,  for  there  are  many  in  these  early  days  of 
steam  who  refuse  to  trust  themselves  to  the  throbbing 
steam  monster.  One  of  the  most  regular  passengers 
in  these  Diamond  and  Star  paddle  boats  was  Turner, 
the  artist.  From  them  he  watched  London  sunset 
effects  and  took  notes  of  the  shipping.  From  one  of 
them  he  is  said  to  have  watched  the  fighting  Temeraire 
being  towed  to  her  last  berth  and  thereby  gained  inspir- 
ation for  the  historic  painting. 

We  swing  past  the  Tower,  past  Wapping  Old  Stairs, 
past  Limehouse  with  its  quaint  old  bow  windows  and 
flowered  balconies;  and  now  we  are  in  Limehouse 
Reach  with  the  Isle  of  Dogs,  so  called  because  a  King 
once  kept  his  kennels  there,  on  our  port  hand,  bristling 
with  the  masts  of  tall  ships,  which  tower  above  the 
warehouse  roofs  of  the  West  India  Docks. 

Passing  Greenwich,  we  soon  find  ourselves  in  Black- 
wall  Reach.  Here  there  is  a  big  bend  in  the  river. 
Right  ahead  of  us  several  large  ships  lie  anchored  in 
the  stream  off  the  old  Brunswick  Dock,  whose  famous 
masthouse  towers  120  feet  in  the  air,  a  well-known 
mark  for  miles  around  and  one  eagerly  looked  for  by  the 
homeward  bounder. 

Still  beyond,  our  eyes  are  caught  by  another  landmark 


62  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

jutting  upwards  from  Blackwall  Point.  It  is  a  cross- 
headed  gibbet,  from  which  the  bodies  of  four  pirates 
hang  creaking  in  their  chains,  a  gruesome  warning  which 
cannot  fail  to  be  noted  by  the  crew  of  every  passing  ship. 

The  vessels  anchored  ahead  of  us  are  the  season's 
China  and  India  ships,  the  very  pick  of  the  Mercantile 
Marine,  and  amongst  these  aristocrats  of  the  sea  floats 
the  object  of  our  journey. 
A  Typical  East  Indiaman. 

We  will  suppose  that  we  have  chosen  the  Thames 
for  our  voyage.  She  was  a  typical  first-class  Indiaman 
of  the  last  years  of  the  Hon.  John  Company,  and  the 
non-nautical  eye  would  have  had  some  difficulty  in 
distinguishing  her  from  a  crack  frigate.  Yet  the 
difference  was  plain  enough  to  a  seaman. 

Our  boatman  has  no  difficulty  in  picking  her  out  from 
the  rest  of  the  ships  at  anchor,  each  one  of  which  he  is 
able  to  name  by  small  differences  of  sparring  or  rigging 
long  before  we  can  distinguish  their  hulls.  In  a  few 
minutes  we  are  alongside  the  gangway  ladder,  but  as 
there  are  several  boats  crowding  round  the  bottom  step  we 
have  ample  time  to  examine  her  before  going  on  board. 

The  first  thing  to  strike  modern  eyes  is  her  shortness — 
the  great  proportion  which  her  beam  bears  to  her  length ; 
this  with  the  tumble-home  of  her  sides,  the  swelling 
cheeks  of  her  bows,  and  the  heaviness  of  her  stern  make 
us  wonder  how  she  is  able  to  make  such  good  passages. 
Then  her  channels  are  tremendous  platforms,  which 
would  take  2  or  3  knots  off  her  speed,  if  dipped  when 
heavily  pressed,  with  their  huge  dead-eyes  trailing  in 
the  water. 

There  are  nine  shrouds  to  her  lower  rigging,  her  fore 
and  main  topmast  and  lower  stays  are  double.  Her 
maintop  would  give  space  enough  to  dance  in;    but  her 


A  TYPICAL   EAST  INDIA  MAN  63 

yards  appear  very  light  spars  to  eyes  accustomed  to  the 
great  steel  tubes  of  a  modern  sailing  ship,  and  but  for 
her  long  stunsail  booms  she  would  show  a  very  narrow 
sail  plan. 

We  count  no  less  than  18  windows  in  her  stern,  in 
two  stories.  The  upper  tier  look  on  to  a  narrow  stern 
walk,  surrounded  by  the  white  painted  stanchions  of  a 
balcony.  She  lacks,  indeed,  a  great  deal  of  that 
lavish  gingerbread  work  which  was  such  a  feature  in 
her  ancestors,  and  the  gilded  carving  of  her  quarter 
galleries  and  stern  is  quite  simple  in  design. 

There  was  a  transition  stage,  to  which  the  Thames 
belongs,  when  floridly  elaborate  carving  and  gilding 
were  considered  bad  style,  whilst  the  inlaying  and 
capping  of  all  deck  fittings  with  brass  had  not  yet  come 
into  fashion.  She  is  painted  a  la  Nelson  in  severe 
black  and  white,  with  a  double  row  of  ports.  Her  figure- 
head is  a  full  length  figure  of  Father  Thames,  holding 
his  trident  as  if  to  spear  a  porpoise  under  the  bows. 
She  is  riding  to  one  anchor,  the  other  with  its  ponderous 
stock  and  immense  ring  hangs  from  the  fourfold  purchase 
of  the  cathead.  Two  spare  anchors  are  lashed  in  her  fore 
rigging.  Her  upper  row  of  ports  are  open,  and  we  can 
see  the  red  tompions  of  her  guns. 

At  the  moment  of  our  arrival  her  decks  are  crowded 
with  people,    amongst  whom  we  can  easily  pick  out 
the  officers  of  the  ship  by  the  company's  uniform. 
The  Commander  of  an  East  Indiaman  and 
his  Emoluments. 

We  are  lucky  enough  to  find  the  commander  of 
the  ship  on  the  poop,  as  he  rarely  comes  aboard  before 
the  ship  reaches  Gravesend;  and  those  who  want  to  see 
him  must  needs  search  him  out  at  the  Jerusalem  Coffee 
House,  where  the  East  India  merchants  and   captains 


64  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

meet  to  transact  business.  However,  he  has  evidently 
come  aboard  to  show  a  distinguished  passenger  round 
the  ship  and  is  in  full  rig.  His  uniform  coat  is  of  blue, 
with  bright  gold  embroidery,  black  velvet  lapels, 
cuffs  and  collar;  his  waistcoat  and  breeches  are  of  deep 
buff.  He  wears  a  black  stock  round  his  neck,  a  cocked 
hat  on  his  head  and  side  arms.  The  buttons  of  his 
coat  and  waistcoat  were  stamped  with  the  lion  and 
crown  of  the  Hon.  East  India  Company.  Such  was 
the  dress  of  a  commander  in  the  Merchant  Service,  a 
man  who  ranked  on  an  equality  with  a  post  captain  in 
the  Royal  Navy. 

When  a  company's  ship  arrived  in  Calcutta,  she 
was  received  with  a  salute  of  13  guns,  and  the  guard 
of  the  fort  turned  out  and  presented  arms  to  her  captain. 
His  post  was  sought  after  by  the  best-born  in  the  land, 
and  was  often  bought  for  a  large  sum  owing  to  its 
rich  perquisites;  and  those  who  possessed  H.E.I.C. 
nominations  were  men  of  power  in  the  City. 

When  the  East  India  Company  lost  its  monopoly. 
Captain  Innes  of  the  Ahercrombie  Robinson  memorialised 
the  company  for  compensation.  He  estimated  the 
income  and  emoluments  accruing  from  his  appointment 
as  commander  upon  an  average  of  his  last  three  voyages, 
exclusive  of  profits  or  investments,  as  £6100  per  voyage. 
This  was  made  up  as  follows : — 

Eighteen  months'  pay  at  £10  per  month     . .          . .          . .  £180  0  0 

56  tons  privilege  outward  at  £4  per  ton       .  ,          . .          . .  224  0  0 

From  port  to  port  at  30  rupees  per  candy              . .          .  .  336  0  0 

Homeward  at  £33  per  ton 1848  0  0 

Two-fifths  tonnage  from  port  to  port,  478  tons  at  30  rupees 

per  candy,  less  charged  by  the  Hon.  Coy.  £2  per  ton  1612  0  0 

Primage             . .           .  .           . .           . ,           . .           .  .           . .  100  0  0 

Passage  money  after  allowing  for  the  provisions  and  stores 

provided  for  the  passengers       ..          ..          .,          ..  £1500  0  0 

Total  per  voyage  £6100  0  0 


'V^ 


( 


OFFICERS'    ALLOWANCES 


65 


I  have  taken  this  out  of  Lindsey.  I  fear  it  will  make 
the  modern  shipmaster  sigh  for  the  good  old  days. 
Captain  Innes  undoubtedly  put  his  figures  a  good  deal 
lower  than  he  need  have,  for  Lindsey  gives  an  instance 
of  a  commander  making  no  less  than  £30,000  out  of  the 
"double  voyage,"  meaning  from  London  to  India, 
thence  to  China  and  home.  Indeed  to  make  from  £8000 
to  £10,000  a  voyage  was  quite  usual  with  those  com- 
manders of  East  Indiamen  who  were  clever  businessmen. 

It  is  certain  that  no  commercial  concern  ever  treated 
its  employees  so  handsomely  as  the  Hon.  East  India 
Company  did  its  commanders  and  officers. 

Officers'  Allowances  in  the  H.E.LG. 

The  extra  allowances  to  officers,  besides  their 
proportions  of  freight  and  provisions,  are  almost 
unbelievable. 

Take  the  liquor  allowance  for  instance.  The  com- 
mander was  allowed  11  tons  of  wine,  beer  and  other 
liquors,  reckoning  36  dozen  quart  bottles  to  the  ton. 
He  also  had  permission  to  import  two  pipes  of  Madeira 
wine. 

The  chief  officer  was  allowed  24  dozen  of  wine  or  beer, 
and  a  puncheon  of  rum  for  the  wardroom,  where  he 
messed  with  the  second  mate,  surgeon  and  purser. 

The  second  mate  was  allowed  20  dozen  of  wine  or  beer. 


The  third  , , 
The  fourth  , , 
The  fifth 
The  surgeon  , , 
The  purser  , , 
The  surgeon's  mate 


16 
12 
10 
14 
16 
12 


The  gunroom  mess,   headed  by  the  third  mate,  was 
also  allowed  a  Duncheoc  of  rum. 


66  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

The  chief  officer  was  allowed  2  firkins  of  butter,  1  cwt. 
of  cheese,  1  cwt.  of  grocery,  and  4  quarter  cases  of 
pickles  as  extra  provisions ;  the  proportions  of  the  other 
officers  being  on  the  same  scale  as  the  wine. 

The  captain  was  given  two  personal  servants;  the 
chief  officer,  second  officer,  surgeon,  bosun,  gunner  and 
carpenter  were  each  given  a  servant.  No  wonder  that 
the  Merchant  Service  was  sought  after  by  the  highest 
in  the  land. 

The  Foremast  Hands  of  an  Indiaman. 

The  crew  of  the  Thames  are  not  yet  on  board, 
though  they  had  been  chosen  before  she  hauled  out  of 
dock.  The  business  of  signing  on  had  been  carried  out 
on  board,  for  the  day  of  shipping  offices  had  not  arrived. 

The  time — 11  a.m. — had  been  posted  up  in  the  main 
rigging,  and  when  the  hour  arrived  there  were  perhaps 
two  or  three  hundred  men  on  the  docks ide.  Most  of 
these  men  owed  their  advance  notes  to  Hart,  the  Jew, 
a  noted  Ratcliffe  Highway  slopshop  keeper  and  cashier 
of  advance  notes  at  high  rates.  His  runners  usually 
contrived  to  get  their  men  in  the  front  rank  so  as  to 
catch  the  eyes  of  the  first  and  second  officers  and  boat- 
swain, who,  in  picking  the  crew,  soon  showed  themselves 
to  be  expert  judges  of  sailormen. 

The  pay  for  foremast  hands  was  35s.  a  month;  the 
advance,  which  was  two  months'  pay,  was  at  once 
pounced  upon  by  the  Jews,  but  Jack  boasted  that  on  a 
sou-Spainer  bound  to  a  warm  climate  he  only  needed  a 
stockingful  of  clothes.  However,  it  was  noticeable 
that  even  if  a  man  came  aboard  without  a  sea  chest,  he 
always  had  his  ditty  bag,  which  contained  his  marlin- 
spike,  fid,  palm  and  needles,  bullock's  horn  of  grease 
and  serving  board. 


FOREMAST  HANDS  67 

In  those  days  there  was  no  mistaking  a  seaman  for 
a  landsman.  He  may  perhaps  be  best  described  as 
a  full-grown  man  with  the  heart  of  a  child.  His 
simplicity  was  on  a  par  with  his  strength  of  limb,  and 
his  endurance  was  as  extraordinary  as  his  coolness  and 
resource  in  moments  of  emergency  or  stress. 

In  appearance  he  was  recognisable  anywhere,  not  only 
for  the  peculiar  marks  of  the  sea  and  the  characteristics 
of  his  kind,  but  for  his  length  and  breadth  of  limb. 

In  height  he  towered  over  the  landsman  of  his  age, 
whilst  his  shoulders  occupied  the  space  of  two  landsmen 
in  a  crowd,  and  his  handshake  was  something  to  be 
avoided  by  people  with  weak  bones. 

His  dress  was  distinctive  of  his  calling,  the  nearest 
approach  to  it  being  the  rig  of  the  present  day  man-of- 
war's  man.  He  had,  however,  a  fondness  for  striped 
cotton  in  shirt  and  trouser,  and  when  he  did  consent  to 
cover  his  feet  sported  pumps  with  big  brass  buckles 
instead  of  clumsy  boots.  The  black  neckerchief  came 
in  of  course  at  Nelson's  funeral,  being  a  sign  of  mourning 
for  the  little  Admiral. 

As  to  headgear,  his  shiny  black  tarpaulin  hat  seems 
to  have  become  entirely  extinct,  and  the  gaily  coloured 
handkerchief,  which  was  usually  wound  round  the  head 
in  action,  would  cause  one  to  suspect  its  wearer  of  aping 
the  pirate  in  these  sober-bued  days. 

Having  had  a  prowl  round  the  ship,  seen  our  furniture 
placed  in  our  cabin,  and  drunk  a  glass  of  wine  with  the 
purser,  we  finally  leave  the  Indiaman  and  pull  back 
through  the  shipping  on  the  first  of  the  flood. 
An  Indiaman  leaving  Gravesend. 

A  fortnight  later  we  find  the  Thames  lying  at 
Gravesend  with  the  Blue  Peter  flying.  We  get  aboard 
and  then  spend  our  time  watching  the  busy  scene. 


68 


THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 


Boat  loads  of  passengers  and  luggage  come  alongside, 
one  by  one;  the  decks  grow  more  and  more  crowded; 
raw  young  cadets  jostle  irate  indigo  planters;  high- 
spirited  youth  bumps  against  testy  old  age;  yellow 
skinned  bearers  and  khitmagars,  passengers'  servants, 
glide  hither  and  thither,  chasing  the  elusive  cabm 
baggace;  whilst  forward  the  bosun's  pipe  trills  con- 
tinuaUy  in  answer  to  the  sharply  called  orders  of  the 

chief  officer. 

Upon  the  poop  a  fiery  faced  old  nabob  struts  pompously 
to  and  fro,  stopping  at  every  turn  to  shout  fluent 
Hindoostanee  over  the  poop  rail  at  his  unfortunate 
bearer,  who  is  vainly  trying  to  disentangle  his  sahib  s 
voluminous  kit  from  a  pile  of  hold  baggage,  which, 
under  the  superintendence  of  an  energetic  third  mate, 
is  disappearing  bit  by  bit  down  the  main  hatch. 

Down  on  the  quarterdeck  a  line  of  red  coats  are  being 
mustered  and  numbered,  with  much  shuffling  and  stamp- 
ing of  heavily  shod  feet,  rattling  of  accoutrements,  and 
the  roared  out  commands  of  a  red -faced  ramrod  of  a 

sergeant . 

From  bumboats,  which  hang  off  the  bows  and 
quarters  but  are  not  allowed  up  to  the  gangway,  East- 
End  Jews  attempt  to  smuggle  liquor  aboard  under 
cover  of  much  apparent  confusion  and  noise,  but  the 
sharp  eyes  of  the  mates  are  upon  them  and  they  have 
no  success. 

Above  the  pipes  of  the  bosun's  whistle  and  those  of  his 
mates,  above  the  "tenshun"  and  "stand -at -hease"  of 
the  sergeant,  above  the  nabob's  Hindoostanee  and  cries 
of  boatmen  and  crew,  rise  the  well-known  sounds  of  an 
English  farmyard,  which  plainly  denote  that  the  ship 
has  got  its  live  stock  on  board. 


LIVE  STOCK  ON  AN  INDIAMAN  69 

A  Farmyard  at  Sea. 

Here   is  Captain  Marryat's  description   of   live 
stock  on  an  Indiaman: — 

The  Indiaman  was  a  1200-ton  ship,  as  large  as  one  of  the  small  class 
seventy-fours  in  the  King's  service,  strongly  built  with  lofty  bulwarks, 
and  pierced  on  the  upper  deck  for  18  guns,  which  were  mounted  on  the 
quarterdeck  and  fo'c'sle.  Abaft,  a  poop,  higher  than  the  bulwarks, 
extended  forward  30  or  40  feet,  under  which  was  the  cuddy  or  dining- 
room  and  state  cabins  appropriated  to  passengers. 

The  poop,  upon  which  you  ascended  by  ladders  on  each  side,  was 
crowded  with  long  ranges  of  coops,  tenanted  by  every  variety  of  domestic 
fowl  awaiting,  in  happy  unconsciousness,  the  daj'  when  they  should  be 
required  to  supply  the  luxurious  table  provided  by  the  captain. 

In  some,  turkeys  stretched  forth  their  long  necks,  and  tapped  the 
deck  as  they  picked  up  some  ant  who  crossed  it,  in  his  industry.  In 
others,  the  crowing  of  cocks  and  calling  of  the  hens  were  incessant;  or 
the  geese,  ranged  up  rank  and  file,  waited  but  the  signal  from  one  of  the 
party  to  raise  up  a  simultaneous  clamour,  which  as  suddenly  was 
remitted. 

Coop  answered  coop,  in  variety  of  discord,  while  the  poulterer 
walked  round  and  round  to  supply  the  wants  of  so  many  hundreds 
committed  to  his  charge. 

The  booms  before  the  mainmast  were  occupied  by  the  large  boats, 
which  had  been  hoisted  in  preparatory'  to  the  voyage.  They  also  com- 
posed a  portion  of  the  farmyard.  The  launch  contained  about  fifty 
sheep,  wedged  together  so  closely  that  it  was  with  difficulty  they  could 
find  room  to  twist  their  jaws  round,  as  they  chewed  the  cud. 

The  sternsheets  of  the  barge  and  yawl  were  filled  with  goats  and  two 
calves,  who  were  the  first  destined  victims  to  the  butcher's  knife;  whilst 
the  remainder  of  their  space  was  occupied  by  hay  and  other  provender, 
pressed  down  by  powerful  machinery  into  the  smalli^st  compass. 

The  occasional  baaing  and  bleating  on  the  booms  was  answered  by 
the  lowing  of  the  three  milch  cows  between  the  hatchways  of  the  deck 
below;  where  also  were  to  be  descried  a  few  more  coops,  containing  fowls 
and  rabbits.  The  manger  forward  had  been  dedicated  to  the  pigs;  but, 
as  the  cables  were  not  yet  unbent  or  bucklers  shipped,  they  at  present 
were  confined  by  gratings  between  the  main  deck  guns,  where  they 
grunted  at  each  passer-by,  as  if  to  ask  for  food. 

The  boats,  hoisted  up  on  the  quarters,  and  the  guys  of  the  davits, 
to  which  they  were  suspended,  formed  the  kitchen  gardens,  from  which 
the  passengers  were  to  be  supphed,  and  were  loaded  with  bags  containing 
onions,  potatoes,  turnips,  carrots,  beets  and  cabbages,  the  latter,  in 
their  full  round  proportions,  hanging  in  a  row  upon  the  guys,  like  strings 


70  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

of  heads,  which  had  been  demanded  in  the  wrath  or  the  caprice  of  some 
despot  of  Mahomet's  creed. 

Though  the  Thames  was  a  larger  ship  than  Marryat's 
Indiaman,  I  much  doubt  if  she  carried  goats  and  rabbits 
or  even  cabbages  on  the  guys  of  her  quarter-boats ;  but 
Marryat  was  a  man-of-war's  man  and  no  doubt  seized 
the  opportunity  to  poke  a  bit  of  fun  at  the  farmyard 
appearance  of  an  outward  bound  Indiaman. 

Presently  the  Downs  pilot  comes  aboard  and  reports 
himself  to  the  chief  officer,  and  informs  him  that  the 
tide  will  serve  at  8  bells  on  the  morrow.  Slowly  the 
afternoon  draws  in,  the  confusion  aboard  sorts  itself  out 
and  the  clamour  dies  down. 

Then  at  8  bells,  8  p.m.,  we  passengers  and  the 
officers  of  the  troops  retire  to  the  cuddy  for  that  most 
important  hour  called  "grog  time." 

Getting  underweigh. 

At  an  early  hour  in  the  morning  the  order  to  man 
the  capstan  goes  forth.  The  Thames  has  no  windlass, 
the  anchor  being  hove  up  by  the  capstan  on  the  quarter- 
deck. A  stout  messenger  is  passed  round  the  capstan 
and  taken  forward  on  each  side  of  the  deck.  The  ends 
of  the  messenger  are  lashed  together,  the  cable  being 
secured  by  short  lengths  of  rope  called  "nippers." 
With  the  aid  of  the  troops  every  bar  on  the  capstan  is 
double  banked.  At  a  nod  from  the  captain,  the  pilot 
gives  the  order  to  "Heave  round. "  The  fiddler  mounts 
the  capstan-head  and  strikes  up:  "The  girl  I  left 
behind  me."  All  hands  "stamp  and  go."  The 
mate  in  the  head  begins  to  watch  the  cable  grow.  The 
bosun  pipes  "topmen  aloft. "  The  anchor  is  hove  short. 
Another  moment  and  the  anchor  is  off  the  ground. 
"Sheet  home"  rings  down  from  every  mast.     Slowly 


GETTING  UNDERWEIGH  71 

the  Indiaman  gathers  way  and  begins  to  roll  up  the 
yellow  river  in  front  of  her  fore  foot. 

Cries  of  farewell  pass  between  the  ship  and  the  boats, 
which  are  now  rowing  hard  to  keep  alongside.  The 
usual  late  comer  is  hooked  in  over  the  mizen  chains. 
The  ship  lists  gently  as  she  feels  the  wind.  There  is  a 
sudden  gust  of  cheering  from  the  black  heads  along  the 
rail  and  the  red  coats  in  the  rigging.  A  carronade  on 
the  poop  bangs  off  a  last  farewell.  The  flag  is  dipped 
and  we  are  off. 

Barking  Creek  soon  heaves  in  sight;  the  Nore  is 
passed;  we  run  through  the  Queen's  Channel  with  a 
nice  breeze ;  and  presently  we  prepare  to  anchor  in  the 
Downs  for  the  night. 

As  soon  as  the  North  Sandhead  Lightship  is  passed, 
the  royals  are  clewed  up,  then  down  comes  the  jib  and 
up  go  the  courses.  The  pilot  rounds  the  ship  to  and  lets 
go  off  Deal. 

All  in  the  Dow^ns. 

On  all  sides  of  us  ships  of  every  degree  are  brought 
up,  from  the  Guardship,  a  three-decker,  down  to  a 
billy -boy.  Close  to  us  on  our  weather  bow  rolls  a 
country-built  trader — so  close  aboard  indeed  that  the 
old  Anglo-Indians  swear  that  they  can  catch  a  whiff  of 
the  Jaun  Bazaar,  and  the  griffins  spend  much  time 
peering  at  her  in  turn  through  the  ship's  telescope. 
Indeed  there  is  no  mistaking  her— with  all  her  yellow 
varnish,  her  gilt  mouldings,  bamboo  stunsail  poles  and 
coir  rigging,  not  to  mention  her  lascar  crew  and  golden- 
hued  country  canvas. 

Astern  of  her  lay  a  very  different  ship.  There  was  no 
gilt  work  about  her,  no  weird  carvings  round  her  ugly 
sawed-off  stern,  no  scroll  work  to  relieve  her  clumsy 


72  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

white  figurehead.  A  flush -decked  ship,  her  decks  are 
overcrowded  with  unsightly  white-leaded  box-like 
erections,  and  as  she  rolls  we  can  see  iron  gratings  over 
her  open  hatchways.  On  her  main  deck  a  line  of 
slouching  human  cattle  parade  slowly  in  Indian  file, 
watched  over  by  red -coated  despots,  with  muskets  at 
the  shoulder.  A  growl,  as  of  wild  beasts,  and  the 
clanking  of  chains  is  born  to  us  on  the  wind.  We  gaze 
fascinated  and  then  turn  our  eyes  away  with  a  shudder. 
The  poorest  imagination  can  picture  the  tragedy  of  that 
ugly  black  hull  with  its  white  deck  houses,  barred 
hatchways  and  red -coated  sentries.  It  is  that  horror, 
a  convict  ship,  bound  for  Botany  Bay.  Further  off 
again  lay  a  clinker-built  Revenue  cutter,  the  foam 
flashing  up  against  the  muzzles  of  her  pop  guns  as  she 
rolled.  A  powerful  looking  boat  of  some  150  tons,  she 
evidently  carries  a  rare  press  of  sail.  Her  jibbooms 
equal  her  hull  in  length  whilst  her  mainboom  is  so  far 
over  the  taffrail  as  to  make  a  footrope  a  necessity  when 
reefing.  She  carries  her  lower  yard  cock-bilIcf\  instead 
of  lowered  down  on  the  rail,  on  account  of  the  sea  running. 
Stunsail  booms  show  on  her  topsail  yard,  and  her 
topgallant  yard  is  aloft  with  sail  bent.  She  is  ready, 
without  doubt,  to  slip  off  at  a  moment's  notice:  the 
vessel  that  flew  Revenue  stripes  had  an  arduous  task  in 
the  thirties  and  very  little  rest  if  her  commander  knew 
his  job. 

We  turn  our  eyes  away  from  the  sprightly  cutter  in 
order  to  watch  a  beautiful  frigate  bring  up  astern  of  us. 
As  she  comes  to  the  wind,  her  cloud  of  canvas  seems  to 
melt  into  nothing,  as  if  by  magic,  for  these  are  the 
days  of  extraordinary  smartness  in  sail  drill,  when  such 
evolutions  as  reefing  topsails  in  stays,  sending  mainyard 
alongside  the  flagship,  downing  topgallant  masts  and 


SAIL  DRILL  73 

then  making  all  plain  sail,    stripping  to  a  gantline, 
etc. ,  etc. ,  were  carried  out  in  an  incredibly  short  space  of 
time. 
Sail  DriU. 

The  rivalry  between  smart  ships  was  tremendous 
and  cost  many  a  promising  bluejacket  his  life.  The 
men  were  like  monkeys  aloft.  The  order  to  lay  aloft 
was  the  signal  for  a  wild  stampede  up  the  ratlins  in 
which  the  midshipmen,  who  were  supposed  to  show  the 
way,  had  to  race  for  their  lives ;  for,  if  they  were  caught 
by  the  avalanche  of  topmen  behind  them,  their  backs 
were  used  as  stepping  stones  by  hundreds  of  eager  feet. 
This  smartness  is  sail  drill  reached  its  zenith  just  as 
masts  and  yards  were  giving  way  to  the  smoke  stack. 

Many  an  old  sailor  in  writing  his  reminiscences  gives 
examples  of  evolutions  which  are  little  short  of  mar- 
vellous. Here  is  a  specimen  from  Martello  Tower's 
School  and  Sea  Days : — 

In  the  Cuba  we  took  great  pride  in  displaying  our  smartness  to  the 
good  people  of  Sydney;  our  favourite  being  to  let  them  see  the  frigate 
approaching  Farm  Cove  under  canvas,  when  suddenly  shooting  forth 
from  the  side  with  vivid  flash  and  cloud  of  white  smoke,  the  loud  bang 
of  the  first  gun  of  a  Governor's  19-gun  salute  would  startle  them. 
Simultaneously  the  lofty  tower  of  sail  began  to  disintegrate;  and  very 
slowly,  but  at  timed  and  regular  intervals  as  Mr.  Fuzecap,  the  gunner, 
called  out  to  his  mates,  "Starboard,  port,  starboard,  port,"  successive 
shoots  of  flame  darted  out  from  alternate  sides,  the  corresponding  loud 
reports  penetrating  every  corner  of  the  city  and  into  country  districts 
for  miles  around,  announcing  to  the  Governor  in  Government  House, 
to  the  magistrate  on  the  bench,  to  children  at  school,  to  men  hoisting 
bales  of  wool  at  the  quays,  to  squatters  on  their  periodical  visit  to  the 
capital,  to  unfortunate  noblemen  languishing  in  Wooloomooloo  jail  that 
H.M.S.  Cuba  had  returned. 

Meantime  if  there  was  but  a  light  wind,  the  ship  was  considerabl> 
obscured,  but  when  the  smoke  cleared  what  saw  the  observers  then  ? 
The  surprising  spectacle  of  a  frigate  quietly  at  anchor  in  the  Cove,  with 
sails  furled,  yards  squared,  no  men  aloft,  lower  booms  out  with  boats 
attached  to  them,  with  the  general  appearance  in  short  of  having  lain 
there  qviietly  for  weeks. 


74 


THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 


The  late  Lord  Charles  Beresford  records  another 
example  of  sail  drill  before  the  eyes  of  wondering 
landsmen.      Rewrites: — 

When  we  were  sailing  into  the  Bay  of  Naples  under  all  possible  sail, 
order  was  given:—"  Shift  topsails  and  courses,  make  all  possible  sail 
again,"  which  really  means  that  the  masts  were  stripped  of  all  sails  and 
again  all  sails  were  hoisted. 

The  time  taken  for  this  evolution  by  Beresford 's  ship, 
the  Marlborough,  was  9  minutes  30  seconds.  All  went 
without  a  hitch  within  400  yards  of  the  anchorage. 
Lord  Charles  Beresford  gives  a  very  interesting  table  of 
times  made  by  the  Marlborough  in  1861,  and  adds: — 

When  Sir  William  Martin  was  captain  of  the  Prince  Regent  she  was 
considered  the  smartest  ship  in  the  Navy,  he  brought  the  times  of  all  her 
drills  to  the  Marlborough;  he  allowed  the  Marlborough  six  months  to  get 
into  trim  before  drilling  with  the  Fleet,  but  she  started  to  drill  alongside 
the  Fleet  in  three  months  and  beat  them  all- 

Her  times  were  as  follows : — 


Time  allowed 

Time  of 

Evolution. 

by  Admiral 

Marlborough 

Cross  topgallant  and  royal  yards 

7m  Os 

6m  30s 

Down  topgallant  yards  with  royal  yards 

across     . . 

2      0 

1     13 

Up  topgallant  mast,  cross  upper  yards 

and  loose  sails  .  . 

2    30 

1    27 

Shift  topgallant  masts  from  royal  yards 

across    .  . 

7      0 

5    40 

Up  topgallant  masts  and  make  all  plain 

sail 

4      0 

2    40 

Up    topgallant    masts    and    make    all 

possible  sail 

6      0 

3      0 

Shift  topsails  from  plain  sail 

6      0 

4    50 

In  all  boom  boats  from  away  aloft 

7      0 

6      0 

Out  all  boom  boats 

7      0 

.>    40 

Away  lifeboats'  crew 

0    30 

0    20 

Lord  Charles  Beresford  mentions  one  or  two  of  the 
smartest  topmen  he  had  known,  and  gives  the  palm  to 
George  Lewis.  His  best  time  from  the  order  "Away 
aloft, "  from  his  station  in  the  maintop  to  the  topgallant 


SAIL  DRILL  75 

yardarm,  a  distance  of  64  feet,  was  13  seconds ;  this  was 
never  beaten  but  it  was  equalled  by  another  famous 
topman,  Ninepin  Jones. 

At  one  time  the  upper  yard  men  had  to  go  double  that 
distance,  for  at  the  order  "Way  aloft"  they  had  to 
start  from  the  deck,  and  on  the  Marlborough  the  distance 
from  the  deck  to  the  maintop  was  67  feet.  But  starting 
from  the  deck  was  done  away  with  when  it  was  realised 
how  many  men  injured  their  hearts  and  lungs  by  racing 
aloft  to  such  a  distance  at  their  utmost  speed. 

Gymnastics  of  the  most  dangerous  description  were 
indulged  in  by  these  agile  topmen,  and  the  following 
was  one  of  the  most  common : — 

When  a  ship  was  paid  off  out  of  Malta  harbour,  it  was  the  custom 
that  there  should  be  a  man  standing  erect  on  each  of  the  trucks,  main, 
mizen  and  fore.  Many  a  time  have  I  seen  these  men,  balanced  more 
than  200  feet  in  the  air,  strip  off  their  shirts  and  wave  them.  And  once 
I  saw  a  man  holding  to  the  vane  spindle  set  in  the  truck,  and  I  saw  the 
spindle  break  in  his  hand  and  the  man  fall. 

We  have  a  different  type  of  bluejacket  in  these  days; 
Beresford's  topmen  were  lean,  greyhound-waisted 
athletes,  all  gristle  and  bone,  and  as  hard  as  nails.  I 
wonder  what  they  would  think  of  the  well-fed,  bull- 
necked  Hercules  of  the  twentieth  century. 

After  this  long  digression,  we  must  return  to  our 
Indiaman,  as  she  rolls  majestically  in  the  short  Channel 
sea  which  is  making  through  the  Downs.  To  the  right 
of  the  frigate  a  Prussian  snow  rides  buoyantly  at  the 
end  of  an  old  hemp  cable;  and,  all  around,  vessels 
sweep  their  spars  across  the  sky  as  they  plunge  and  roll : 
almost  every  rig  is  represented,  and  the  Red  Ensign, 
the  famous  old  "Red  Duster, "  is  by  no  means  the  only 
national  emblem  present,  though  the  ships  flying  it  are 
by  far  the  most  numerous ;  but  a  few,  like  the  Prussian 
snow,  are  flying  flags  which  have  long  since  left  the  seas. 


76  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Amongst  the  ships,  the  well-known  Deal  galley  punt 
flies  hither  and  thither,  reaping  a  harvest  which  I  fear 
has  long  since  failed;     a  harvest  which  has  followed 
sails  and  without  sailing   ships   has   become  extmct. 
But  in  1830  the  galley  punt  was  a  comfortable  livmg 
for  a  number  of  boatmen  and  brought  a  fortune  t6  not 
a  few.       All  weathers  came  alike  to  the  Deal  boatmen 
in  these  sturdy  open  boats.     They  took  anchors  and 
cables  out  to  vessels  in  distress;  they  saved  uncounted 
lives   from   wrecks   on   the    Goodwins;     they    brought 
provisions  alongside  famished  ships;    they  landed  the 
important   King's  Messenger  and  took  off  the  belated 
passenger.       And   in  slack  times   they   dragged   their 
creepers  for  many  a  lost  anchor  and  chain  left  behind 
by  ships  which  had  liad  to  cut  and  run  to  avoid  dragging 
on  to  the  Sands. 

At  sunset  the  line -of -battle  ship  fires  a  gun,  and 
instantly  the  colours  flutter  down  from  every  gaff  and 
masthead.  For  a  while  we  stay  on  deck  watching  the 
yellow  after-glow  darken  into  night  and  then,  finding  it 
growing  chilly,  we  retire  to  the  cuddy  to  write  letters, 
which  will  be  posted  in  Deal  by  our  attendant  galley 
punt  in  the  morning. 

Down  Channel. 

We  are  awakened  before  daybreak  by  the  steady 
tramp  of  feet  over  our  heads,  they  are  washing  down  the 
poop.  This  rouses  us  up,  and  we  slip  on  deck  in  time  to 
enjoy  a  beautiful  sea  effect — a  fleet  of  ships  getting 
underweigh  at  dawn. 

In  the  East  a  flush  of  rosy  light  paints  the  sky  along 
a  horizon  of  deep  indigo.  Nearer  at  hand  the  foaming 
crests  show  like  yellow  soapsuds.  Against  the  growing 
light  the  spars  of  the  ships  to  windward  stand  out  like 


DOWN  CHANNEL  77 

clean-cut  jet,  while  to  leeward  they  gleam  as  if  touched 
with  fire.  It  is  cold  and  clear,  with  the  wind  almost 
round  to  north:  such  a  morning  as  makes  one  glow  with 
health  and  long  for  the  breakfast  hour. 

Aboard  our  Indiaman  the  bustle  of  getting  under- 
weigh  is  in  full  swing.  The  capstan  revolves  to  the 
sound  of  squeaking  catgut. 

"Stamp  and  go  !  Stamp  and  go  !  Breast  the  bars  and 
run  her  round,  boys  !" 

All  around  us  we  can  hear  the  clink,  clink  of  the  pawls 
as  the  outward  bounders  hasten  to  take  advantage  of  the 
slant.  It  is  an  inspiriting  scene,  and  the  idle  passenger 
longs  to  take  a  hand  instead  of  having  to  blow  on  his 
fingers  and  stamp  his  feet  to  keep  himself  warm.  It  is  a 
close  race  as  to  who  will  be  first  away.  Our  bosun  trills 
on  his  pipe,  and  away  go  the  topmen  aloft ;  at  the  same 
time  black  midgets  can  be  seen  clambering  up  the 
shrouds  of  our  neighbours.  The  gaskets  are  cast  off; 
and,  as  the  anchor  leaves  the  ground,  our  topsails  drop 
simultaneously  and  are  sheeted  home  together.  The 
Thames  makes  a  slow  courtesy  as  she  feels  the  wind  in 
her  sails,  crushes  a  sea  into  froth,  and  taking  a  long 
white  bone  in  het  teeth  sets  off  down  Cliannel. 

"Out  studding  sails  !"  is  the  next  order;  and  before 
the  breakfast  bugle  goes,  the  kites  have  been  set,  the 
anchors  stowed  and  the  decks  cleared  up. 

Just  before  stepping  below  we  take  a  look  round  at 
our  neighbours.  The  country  ship  is  already  far  astern 
and  the  sinister  vessel  for  Botany  Bay  still  further. 
Even  the  frigate  is  doing  no  more  than  holding  her  own, 
for  the  Thames  has  a  clean  pair  of  heels. 

The  Channel  held  more  of  the  picturesque  in  the 
thirties  than  it  does  at  the  present  day.  There  were  no 
trails  of  smoke  along  the  horizon,  no  ugly  steam  tramps, 


78  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

no  squat  coasters  with  bridge  and  funnel  on  the  poop, 
no  giant  liners  or  grey  destroyers,  but  the  sparkling 
waters  were  dotted  with  sails  in  every  direction. 

There,  down  to  leeward,  is  a  powerful  cutter  with  a 
large  "P"  in  her  mainsail  below  a  number,  a  pilot  boat 
cruising  back  and  forth  across  the  traffic. 

There  goes  a  three-masted  lugger,  "ratching"  along 
the  land.  With  her  huge  dipping  lugs  she  needs  a 
number  of  men :  the  water  boils  under  her  forefoot  and 
she  is  making  great  way  under  the  pull  of  those  heavy 
lugs,  which  are  cut  with  a  much  greater  bag  than  is  ever 
seen  nowadays.  She  is  only  half -decked,  and  as  one 
watches  her,  tales  of  smugglers  rise  to  the  mind. 

Coasters  of  all  sorts  are  taking  advantage  of  the 
off-shore  wind — brigs,  brigantines,  topsail  schooners, 
snows,  galliots,  ketches,  yawls,  spritsail  barges  and 
heavy  cutters  with  great  square -headed  topsails. 

The  Thames  makes  a  quick  run  of  it  to  the  Mother 
Bank,  where  she  brings  up  for  mails  and  despatches. 

The  Last  Sailing  Ships  in  the  Royal  Navy. 

Whilst  we  are  brought  up  a  beautiful  full-rig  ship 
sails  majestically  by  us  under  all  plain  sail.  She  is  the 
celebrated  yacht  Falcon,  flagship  of  Lord  Yarborough, 
Commodore  of  the  Royal  Yacht  Squadron.  In  those 
days  the  members  of  the  R.Y.S.  took  the  chief  object 
for  the  founding  of  their  club  very  much  to  heart. 
This  object  was  the  improvement  of  the  armed  sailing 
ship.  Lord  Yarborough,  the  Commodore,  was  more 
salt  than  his  own  shellbacks ;  he  fitted  the  Falcon  as  an 
armed  corvette  and  put  his  crew  under  strict  naval 
discipline.  And  when  the  experimental  squadron  was 
fitted  out,  he  gained  the  Admiralty's  permission  to  join 
them  during  their  cruises  in  the  Channel.      His  example 


SAILING  MEN-OF-WAR 


79 


was  followed  by  Lord  Vernon,  who  built  the  Harlequin 
to  the  designs  of  Captain  Symonds,  R.N.,  and  fitted  her 
as  a  10-gun  brig. 

In  1829  the  Falcon  and  Harlequin  joined  the  cruises 
of  the  experimental  squadron  under  the  Trafalgar 
veteran.  Sir  Edward  Codrington,  and  the  Harlequin 
soon  proved  to  be  of  superior  speed  to  the  other  ships. 
Whilst  he  was  having  the  Harlequin  built.  Lord  Vernon 
persuaded  the  Admiralty  to  give  Captain  Symonds  a 
contract  for  a  gun  brig,  the  result  of  which  was  the 
Columbine.  Then  the  Duke  of  Portland  gave  Captain 
Symonds  an  order  for  a  still  larger  gun  brig.  This  was 
the  Pantaloon.  The  Duke  of  Portland  took  her  out  with 
the  experimental  squadron  in  1831,  and  the  Admiralty 
were  so  impressed  by  her  sailing  that  they  bought  her 
and  made  her  the  model  for  future  10-gun  brigs.  At 
the  same  time  Captain  Symonds  succeeded  Sir  Robert 
Seppings. 

During  the  last  years  of  sailing  men-of-war  Symonds 
turned  out  the  following  vessels  which  were  far  and 
away  superior,  both  in  strength,  speed  and  sea-going 
qualities,  to  the  famous  wooden  walls  of  the  war  period. 


The  Symondites. 


Built 

Name 

Tons 

Length 

Beam 

Depth 

No.  of 

Guns. 

ft.  in. 

ft.  in. 

ft.  in. 

1831 

Pantaloon 

323 

91  11 

29  4 

12  8 

10 

1832 

Vernon     . . 

2082 

176 

52  8 

26  5 

60 

1834 

Pique 

1633 

160 

48  11 

14  7 

40 

1835 

Vanguard 

2609 

190 

67 

23  4 

80 

1838 

Pilot 

485 

105 

33  6 

14  10 

16 

1839 

Queen 

3104 

204  2 

60 

23  9 

110 

1841 

Spartan    . . 

918 

131 

40  7 

10  9 

26 

1842 

Cumberland 

2214 

180 

54  3 

22  4 

70 

1844 

Flying  Fish 

445 

103  1 

32  5 

14  4 

12 

1847 

Britomart 

330 

93 

29  4 

13  6 

8 

80  THE  BLACKWyMJ.  FRIGATES 

Tlu-so  mr'asijrrtn(tnls  ,'ire  interesting  us  a  (iomparison 
vvitli  those  of  morchnntrnrn  of  the  same  period.       The 
stronKth  of  these  sliips  was  wonderfully  demonstrated 
by  the  famous  Pique  fri^ute.     On  lier  way  Iiome  froiri 
Canada  in  18.'i5,   under  Captain  the  Hon.  Henry  Johfi 
Uous,  s}ie  stranchd  near  Point  Forteau,  Labrador,  and 
bumped  heavily  on  a  roek  bottom  for  eleven  Iiours  witli 
a  nasty  sea  runnin^r,  whieh  (,/round  away  all  her  false 
keel  and  a  good  deal  of  her  outer  skin.      Yet  she  was 
floated  and  brought  home  in  twenty-one  days  in  spite 
of  very  bad  weather  and  the  faet  that  she  leaked  at  the 
rate  of  nearly  8  feet  an  hour  the  whole  way  aeross  the 
Western  Oeean. 

The  Fique  was  known  as  a  "  laiiey  frigate,  "  on  board 
of  which  a  seaman's  lot  was  by  no  means  a  soft  one,  to 
whieh  the  well-known  song,  "  Oh,  'tis  aline  frigate," 
gave  testimony  in  an  unending  number  of  verses;  one 
of  thfse  showing  the  Pique's  powers  at  sail  drill  I 
cannot  resist  from  cpioting:  — 

And  now,  my  br,-i  ve  boyn,  comes  the  b«st  of  the  fun. 
It's  "  Hands  about  ithip  and  n-ci  topsails  in  one," 
So,  it's  lay  aloft,  topmen,  aa  the  helium  goes  down. 
And  clew  down  your  topsails  as  the  mainyard  goes  round, 

•Joseph  White,  of  Cowes. 

It  would  not  \)(:  fair  to  leave  out  the  name  of 
Joseph  White,  of  Cowes,  in  speaking  of  impn^vements 
in  design  and  build  wliether  in  men-of-war,  merehant 
ships  or  yaehts.  Besides  building  several  experimental 
brigs  for  the  Navy,  he  and  his  successors  John  and 
Ptobert  White  were  responsible  for  many  a  speedy 
yacht  and  slippery  (jpium  elifjfier. 

In  18«2  Joseph  White  built  the  brig  Wattrwilch  for 
Lord  Belfast.  Though  a  yacht,  she  was  fitted  as  a 
'0-gun  brig  with  very  hif^h  bulwarks,  heavy  scantling 


WATERWITCn  81 

and  a  solid  bottom,  but  she  had  a  finer  entrance, 
greater  beam,  and  in  every  way  was  more  strongly 
built  than  the  celebrated  Pantaloon. 

In  the  summer  of  1832  with  five  months'  stores  and 
provisions,  she  joined  the  experimental  squadron  and 
speedily  showed  herself  able  to  out-point  and  out-sail 
them  all.  Though  she  easily  beat  such  crack  ships  as 
the  Vernon,  Castor,  Sta^,  Prince  of  Wales,  and  Snake  in 
light  breezes,  she  displayed  an  even  greater  superiority 
in  a  strong  breeze  and  head  sea;  at  the  same  time  she 
made  a  practice  of  carrying  less  sail  than  they  did. 

These  sailing  trials  raised  a  great  deal  of  interest  in 
naval  and  yachting  circles,  and  sides  were  taken  for 
and  against  the  Waterwitch.  ller  detractors  claimed 
that  her  foremast  was  stepped  so  far  forward  that  she 
plunged  like  a  collier;  that  her  bows  were  without 
sufficient  flare  and  that  she  rode  so  heavily  that  she  was 
very  hard  on  her  ground  tackle.  Her  supporters  that  the 
apple  cheeks  of  naval  bows  nuist  be  superseded  by  the 
Waterwitch  bow;  that  her  stability,  as  proved  by  the 
inclination  or  heel,  was  far  superior  to  that  of  her  chief 
rival  the  gun  brig  Snake  and  that  she  could  out-sail 
anything  allout. 

In  1883  Lord  Belfast  amused  himself  by  waiting  for 
King's  ships  coming  out  of  Portsmouth  harbour.  He 
would  then  sail  ahead  of  them,  take  in  his  mainsail  and 
topgallant  sails  and  still  sail  all  round  them;  or  he 
would  make  tack  for  tack  and  show  the  superior  quick- 
ness of  his  vessel  when  in  stays.  He  specially  delighted 
in  catching  the  Pantaloon,  which  was  tender  to  the  Koyal 
yacht,  and  giving  her  a  dressing  down.  The  Water- 
witch only  measured  330  tons,  100  less  than  the  ordinary 
gun  brig,  and  this  was  brought  forward  in  her  favour; 
at  last,  the  Admiralty  bought  Waterwitch  in  September, 
u 


82  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

1834.  She  was  the  last  vessel  which  was  built  by  private 
enterprise  and  afterwards  taken  into  the  Navy. 

All  these  famous  experimental  brigs,  Harlequin, 
Columbine,  Pantaloon,  Waterwitch,  Snake,  and  Flying 
Fish  played  a  most  important  part  in  the  suppression 
of  the  slave  trade. 

One  of  the  best  known  was  the  Daring,  built  by  White 
Bros,  in  1844.  This  was  a  very  popular  ship  in  the 
Navy  and  never  had  any  difficulty  in  getting  manned. 
Admiral  Fitzgerald  records  how  she  hoisted  her  pennant 
on  one  occasion  at  9  a.m.  in  Portsmouth  and  was  fully 
manned  by  a  picked  crew  at  noon.  Three  times  her 
complement  offered  themselves,  there  being  boatloads 
of  men  laying  off  waiting  for  her  pennant  to  go  up,  and 
so  great  was  the  rush  that  petty  officers  gave  up  ratings 
in  order  to  enter  as  A.B.  's. 

This  Daring  was  the  rival  of  the  Flying  Fish,  and 
measured  425  tons,  104  ft.  length,  30  ft.  breadth  and 
15  ft.  2  in.  depth. 

After  this  rather  lengthy  digression  on  the  last  of  the 
sailing  men-of-war  let  us  now  return  to  our  Indiaman. 

Routine  aboard  an  Indiaman. 

The  Thames,  having  picked  up  her  mail,  makes  a 
fine  run  down  Channel  and  is  soon  out  of  soundings. 
By  this  time  things  have  begun  to  settle  down  in  their 
places.  The  commander  and  the  nabob  bring  out  a 
wonderful  chessboard  of  carved  ivory  pieces;  the 
planters  smoke  their  cheroots,  talk  shop  and  spin 
marvellous  yarns  for  the  edification  of  the  griffins,  the 
cadets  make  love  to  the  ladies,  the  troops  sleep  off  their 
seasickness,  and  the  ship's  routine  goes  its  regular  round. 
As  in  a  man-of-war,  the  crew  are  divided  into  two 
watches  and  the  officers  into  three. 


ROUTINE  ON  BOARD  88 

The  day's  work  begins  at  5  a.m.  when  the  third 
officer  serves  out  the  fresh  water.  This  was  no  small 
labour  before  the  days  of  water  tanks.  The  water  was 
carried  in  casks,  often  old  rum  puncheons,  which  soon 
turned  the  water,  if,  as  was  often  the  ease,  they  were 
not  properly  charred  inside.  London  River  water  would 
foul  and  sweeten  again  several  times  on  a  voyage  to  the 
East.  It  has  been  described  as  being  as  thick  as  treacle, 
blue  as  indigo,  with  a  smell  that  you  could  not  stand  up 
against.  The  allowance  on  an  Indiaman  was  6  pints  to 
each  person  and  it  was  served  out  by  the  slow  method  of 
a  hand-pump  through  the  bung-hole  of  the  cask. 

At  6.30  a.m.  the  decks  were  washed  down  and  swabbed. 

At  7  bells  the  hammocks  were  piped  up  and  stowed  in 
their  nettings,  being  piped  down  again  at  3  bells  in  the 
afternoon. 

At  8  bells  8  a.m.  all  hands  went  to  breakfast,  but  those 
who  had  had  the  morning  watch  had  to  come  on  deck 
again  for  the  forenoon,  when  all  hands  were  kept  at 
rigging  and  ship's  work. 

At  5  p.m.  the  decks  were  cleared  up,  sail  trimmed 
for  the  night,  and  the  hands  were  then  allowed  to  knock 
off  and  skylark  till  8  bells. 

Sail  was  handled  as  in  a  man-of-war,  all  three  masts 
being  worked  together.  The  log  was  hove  every  two 
hours.  On  Fridays  clothes  were  scrubbed  and  washed 
in  the  ship's  time. 

On  Wednesdays  and  Saturdays  the  'tween  decks 
were  cleaned  and  holystoned,  after  which  they  were 
inspected  by  the  commander,  surgeon  and  O.C.  of 
troops,  when  troops  were  aboard. 

On  Sundays  no  work  was  allowed,  except  the  necessary 
sail  trimming.  In  the  morning  the  crew  were  mustered 
and  inspected  before  church,  as  on  board  a  man-of-war. 


84  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Besides  other  duties,  the  crew  of  an  Indiaman  had  to 
devote  some  time  to  gun  and  small  arms  drill.  Though 
the  Hon.  John  Company  no  longer  had  to  fear  the  French 
picaroon,  the  Seven  Seas  were  still  infested  with  the 
adventurer  who  preyed  on  merchant  shipping. 

In  Eastern  waters  the  Chinese  and  Malay  pirates  were 
a  menace  right  through  the  nineteenth  century,  whilst 
up  to  late  in  the  thirties  the  picturesque  European 
pirate  was  still  to  be  met  with. 

Pirates. 

In  the  nineteenth  century,  the  true  pirate  had 
generally  served  an  apprenticeship  in  a  slaver,  and  his 
ship  was  always  a  heeler,  usually  built  in  Baltimore  or 
Havannah  for  the  slave  trade.  It  was  only  the  most 
daring  ruffian  who  dared  show  his  colours,  the  black 
flag  with  skull  and  crossbones ;  and  he  almost  invariably 
sneaked  down  on  his  prey  with  some  little  known  ensign 
at  his  peak. 

The  following  notices,  taken  from  the  shipping  papers 
of  the  year  1838,  will  give  a  good  idea  of  his  usual 
methods : — 

20th  June,  in  35°  N.,  7°  W.,  the  Thule  was  brought  to  by  a  brig 
carrjring  a  red  and  white  flag;  deck  covered  with  men,  most  of  whom 
were  black;  weather  heavy;   cargo  not  tempting  enough. 

25th  June,  in  34°  N.,  67°  W.,  the  William  Miles  was  boarded  by  a 
piratical  schooner  about  150  tons,  under  Brazilian  and  Portuguese 
colours,  with  50  or  60  men  on  board.      Took  two  casks  of  provisions. 

4th  July,  in  36°  N.,  47°  W.,  the  Ceylon  (American  brig)  was  boarded 
by  a  piratical  schooner  under  Portuguese  colours;  wine,  water  and 
provisions  taken. 

5th  July,  in  38°  N.,  44°  VV.,  the  Catherine  Elizabeth  was  boarded  by 
a  schooner  under  Spanish  colours;  appeared  to  have  50  or  60  men. 
Took  a  cask  of  beef  and  one  of  pork. 

The  Azores  packet,  five  days  from  Tenerifie,  was  boarded  by  a 
piratical  brig  full  of  men,  which  took  from  her  a  chain  cable,  hawsers,  etc. 

Eliza  Locke,  o  Dublin,  was  chased  ofi  Madeira  by  a  suspicious 
schooner  for  two  days  in  May. 


"  L'AXTOXIO." 
The  celebrated  piratical  slaver  and  other  black  craft  lying  in  the 
Bonnj^  River. 


Fwm  an  old  Lithograph. 


[To  face  Page  Si. 


PIRATES  85 

29th  July,  an  American  schooner  was  boarded  off  Cay  West  by  a 
piratical  schooner  and  plundered  of  400  dollars  worth  of  articles. 

5th  July,  in  39°  N.,  34°  W.,  the  Isabella  was  boarded  by  a  Spanish 
brig  and  robbed  of  spare  sails,  cordage,  canvas  and  twine. 

It  is  noticeable  from  these  reports  that  the  corsair  only 
left  traces  of  his  path  where  he  had  met  with  ships  from 
which  there  was  nothing  worth  taking  beyond  provisions 
and  bosun's  stores.  Who  knows  how  many  "missing 
ships"   the  above  buccaneers  could  have  accounted  for. 

The  *' Black  Joke"  and  Benito  de  Soto. 

Perhaps  the  best  known  pirate  of  the  thirties  was 
Benito  de  Soto,  a  villain  whose  history  is  worth  noticing. 
Benito  de  Soto  was  a  Portuguese.  In  1827  he  shipped 
before  the  mast  in  a  large  brigantine  at  Buenos  Ay  res. 
This  vessel,  named  the  Defensor  de  Pedro,  sailed  for  the 
Coast  of  Africa  to  load  slaves.  Like  all  slavers  she 
carried  a  large  crcAV  of  dagoes  ;  the  mate,  a  notorious 
ruffian,  made  friends  with  de  Soto  on  the  run  across, 
and  between  them  they  hatched  a  plot  to  seize  the  ship 
on  her  arrival  at  the  slave  depot.  The  Defensor  de 
Pedro  hove  to  about  10  miles  from  the  African  shore, 
and  as  soon  as  the  captain  had  left  the  ship  to  see  the 
slave  agent,  de  Soto  and  the  mate  took  possession  of 
her;  22  of  the  crew  joined  them,  but  the  remaining 
18  refused.  These  men  were  immediately  driven  into  a 
boat,  which  was  capsized  in  an  attempt  to  make  a 
landing  through  the  surf  and  every  one  of  the  honest 
18  drowned. 

The  ship  was  then  headed  out  to  sea ;  the  new  pirates 
lost  no  time  in  breaking  into  the  spirit  room,  and  by 
sunset  every  man  aboard  had  drunk  himself  into  a 
stupor  except  Benito.  This  superior  ruffian  immediately 
took  advantage  of  this  to  put  a  pistol  to  tlie  head  of  his 


86  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

helpless  confederate,  the  mate,  and  daring  the  drunken 
crew  to  interfere  promptly  shot  him  dead. 

The  whole  thing  was  carried  through  in  the  true 
piratical  spirit.  The  drunken  crew  at  once  declared 
that  de  Soto  was  just  the  sort  of  captain  they  wanted ; 
and  without  any  more  ado  he  took  command. 

It  appears  that  the  ship  had  already  got  her  cargo  of 
"black  ivory"  on  board,  for  Benito  de  Soto  is  next 
heard  of  in  the  West  Indies,  where  he  sold  the  slaves  at 
very  good  prices. 

He  remained  cruising  in  West  Indian  waters  for  some 
time  and  plundered  a  quantity  of  ships,  most  of  which 
he  scuttled  after  battening  theix*  crews  down  below. 

Having  exhausted  this  cruising  ground,  he  next  took 
up  a  position  in  the  South  Atlantic  right  in  the  route  of 
the  traffic  to  the  East. 

In  a  very  short  while  his  raking  brigantine,  which 
had  been  renamed  the  Black  Joke,  had  become  the 
scourge  of  those  seas. 

Indeed,  so  great  was  the  terror  of  Benito  and  his 
Black  Joke  in  those  seas  by  1832  that  homeward  bound 
Indiamen  began  to  make  up  convoys  of  themselves  at 
St.  Helena  before  heading  north. 

Early  in  that  year  a  whole  fleet  of  ships  was  held  up 
there  through  fear  of  the  pirate. 

At  last  a  convoy  of  eight  ships  was  made  up  which 
started  off  homewards  with  the  Indiaman  Susan,  of 
600  tons,  as  their  flagship.  Unfortunately  one  of  these 
vessels,  a  barque,  the  Morning  Star,  of  Scarborough, 
homeward  bound  from  Ceylon  with  25  invalid  soldiers 
and  a  few  passengers,  was  an  extraordinarily  slow  sailer. 
By  the  third  day  all  the  ships  had  gone  ahead  except  the 
Susan,  which  in  order  to  keep  back  to  the  Morning 
Starts  pace  had  to  reduce  sail  to  topsails  and  foresail. 


PIRATES  87 

This  progress  was  at  last  too  slow  for  the  Susan,  and 
bidding  good-bye  to  the  barque  she  also  went  ahead. 

At  11  a.m.  on  the  second  day  after  parting  with  the 
Morning  Star  the  Susan  sighted  a  large  brigantine, 
crowded  with  men  and  showing  a  heavy  long  torn  amid- 
ships. The  pirate  immediately  bore  down  upon  the 
Indiaman,  and  clearing  his  long  gun  for  action  hoisted 
the  skull  and  crossbones  at  the  main. 

The  Susan  was  only  a  small  Indiaman  of  600  tons 
and  eight  guns,  nevertheless  the  sight  of  her  four 
starboard  broadside  guns  run  out  made  Benito  de  Soto 
sheer  off  into  her  wake.  Here  he  dodged  about  for  over 
two  hours,  hesitating  whether  to  attack  or  not;  finally 
he  sailed  off  in  the  direction  he  had  appeared  from. 
It  was  a  lucky  escape,  for  by  some  oversight  the  Susan 
had  no  powder  on  board  though  tons  of  shot. 

Meanwhile  the  Morning  Star  was  jogging  along  in 
the  wake  of  the  Susan.  On  the  21st  February,  when 
abreast  of  Ascension,  a  sail  was  sighted  at  daylight  on 
the  western  horizon.  Her  hull  was  fast  disappearing 
from  sight,  when  suddenly  she  altered  her  course  and 
bore  down  upon  the  barque.  The  action  was  a  sus- 
picious one,  especially  when  a  pirate  was  known  to  be 
in  the  vicinity,  and  Captain  Soulej^  of  the  Morning 
Star,  immediately  called  all  hands  and  crowded  sail  to 
get  away. 

The  stranger  proved  to  be  a  long,  low  black  brigantine 
with  raking  masts.  "The  Black  Joke"  was  whispered 
round  the  decks  with  bated  breath. 

The  pirate,  as  she  rapidly  overhauled  the  slow  sailing 
Morning  Star,  hoisted  British  colours  and  fired  a  gun 
for  the  barque  to  back  her  topsail,  but  Captain  Souley 
held  on,  thereupon  the  Colombian  colours  replaced  the 
British  on  the  pirate.       He  was  now  so  close  to  the 


88  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

barque  that  his  decks  could  be  seen  crowded  with  men. 
Benito  de  Soto  himself  could  be  made  out  standing  by 
the  mainmast— a  head  and  shoulders  taller  than  his 
crew.  Suddenly  he  sprang  to  the  long  gun  and  fired  it. 
It  was  loaded  with  canister  which  cut  up  the  rigging  of 
the  Morning  Star  and  wounded  many  of  her  crew. 

Captain  Souley  held  a  hasty  conference  with  his 
officers  and  passengers.  It  was  decided  to  surrender; 
the    colours    were    thereupon    struck    and    the    topsail 

backed. 

The  Black  Joke,  with  her  long  tom  trained  on  to  the 
deck  of  the  barque,  now  ranged  up  to  within  40  yards, 
and  de  Soto  in  stentorian  tones  ordered  Captain  Souley 
aboard  the  brigantine  with  his  papers.  A  courageous 
passenger,  however,  volunteered  to  go  to  try  and  make 
terms  with  the  pirate.  But  he  and  his  boat's  crew 
returned  to  the  barque,  bleeding  and  exhausted,  having 
been  cruelly  knocked  about  and  beaten  by  the  pirates. 
He  brought  the  following  arrogant  message:  "Tell 
your  captain  that  Benito  de  Soto  will  deal  with  him 
alone.  If  he  does  not  come  I'll  blow  him  out  of  the 
water."  At  this  Captain  Souley  went  aboard  the 
Black  Joke,  taking  his  second  mate  and  three  soldiers 
with  him  besides  the  boat's  crew. 

Benito  de  Soto,  cutlass  in  hand,  silently  motioned 
the  wretched  merchant  skipper  to  approach.  Then  as 
he  stood  in  front  of  him  uncertain  what  to  do,  the  pirate 
suddenly  raised  his  cutlass  and  roared  out:  "Thus  does 
Benito  de  Soto  reward  those  who  disobey  him."  The 
blow  fell  in  full  sight  of  the  terrified  people  on  the  deck 
of  the  Morning  Star.  The  poor  skipper  was  cleft  to  the 
chin  bone  and  fell  dead  without  a  sound  at  the  pirate's 
feet.  A  shout  of  horror  echoed  across  from  the  barque, 
at  which  Souley 's  second  mate,  who  had  been  motioned 


PIRATES  89 

forward,  turned  quickly  in  his  tracks,  only  to  be  struck 
down  and  killed  by  Brabazon,  de  Soto's  chief  officer. 

The  pirates,  like  wild  beasts,  having  tasted  blood, 
wanted  more.  The  long  gun  was  trained  on  the  deck 
of  the  Morning  Star;  and  as  the  ladies  ran  screaming 
below  a  charge  of  grape  rattled  about  their  ears.  A 
boat  of  armed  cut-throats  next  boarded  the  barque,  but 
no  resistance  was  offered,  so  Major  Lobic  and  his  sick 
soldiers  were  first  stripped  of  their  clothes  and  then 
thrown  into  the  hold,  a  sick  officer  named  Gibson  dying 
from  the  brutal  treatment  shown  to  him. 

The  ladies  were  fastened  into  the  fo'c'sle,  and  looting 
commenced.  All  this  time  de  Soto  stood  calm  and 
composed  at  his  vantage  post  by  the  mainmast  of  the 
Black  Joke,  directing  operations  with  the  voice  of  a 
tiger.  Stores,  instruments  and  cargo,  including  seven 
packages  of  jewellery,  were  transferred  to  the  pirate;  and 
the  cabins  were  looted  of  every  vestige  of  clothing. 

Then  the  hatches  were  battened  down,  and,  with  the 
steward  to  wait  upon  them,  the  pirates  settled  down  to 
a  regular  buccaneering  carousal.  The  wretched  women 
were  brought  out  of  the  fo'c'sle  and  their  screams  rang 
out  over  the  sea.      It  was  a  scene  of  awful  savagery . 

Fortunately  the  pirates  became  so  drunk  that  they 
forgot  de  Soto's  blood-thirsty  orders  to  butcher  every 
soul  aboard.  However,  they  first  locked  the  women  in 
the  fo'c'sle  again  and  then  cut  the  rigging  to  pieces, 
sawed  the  masts  in  two,  bored  holes  in  the  ship 's  bottom, 
and,  satisfied  that  she  would  sink,  tumbled  into  their 
boats  and  returned  to  the  Black  Joke,  which  immediately 
filled  her  topsail  and  went  off  after  another  victim. 

Meanwhile  on  the  Morning  Star  there  was  not  a 
sound  to  be  heard.  For  long  those  below  had  been 
shutting  their  ears  to  the  screams  of  their  women  and 


90  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

the  drunken  yells  of  the  pirates,  and  now  they  suddenly 
realised  that  the  pirate  had  sheered  off,  but  at  the  same 
time  they  also  realised  their  horrible  fate  if  they  failed 
to  break  their  way  out  of  the  hold,  for  in  the  semi -gloom 
it  was  noticed  that  the  ship  was  slowly  filling  with 
water.  The  women,  though  they  succeeded  in  forcing 
their  way  out  of  the  fo'c'sle,  did  not  dare  show  them- 
selves on  deck  for  some  hours,  being  half  crazed  with 
fear.  And  it  was  only  after  some  desperate  struggles 
that  the  men  succeeded  in  bursting  a  hatch  open. 

Rushing  on  deck  they  found  that  it  was  nearing  sunset. 
The  vessel  lay  rolling  sluggishly,  an  utter  wreck. 
Forward  the  women  were  discovered  huddled  together 
in  a  state  of  collapse.  Aft  the  compass  had  disappeared, 
whilst,  almost  more  serious  still,  not  a  bit  of  food  or 
drop  of  water  remained. 

The  pumps  were  quickly  manned  and  the  leaks 
plugged.  Fortunately  for  the  unhappy  survivors  a 
ship  hove  in  sight  next  day,  and  with  her  assistance  the 
Morning  Star  actually  succeeded  in  getting  home,  where 
her  arrival  in  the  Thames  created  a  great  sensation. 

In  the  meantime  Benito  de  Soto,  on  learning  that  the 
crew  and  passengers  of  the  Morning  Star  had  not  been 
butchered  in  accordance  with  his  orders,  put  back  again 
to  look  for  her,  but  failing  to  find  her  concluded 
that  she  had  gone  to  the  bottom  and  thereupon  resumed 
his  cruising. 

He  is  next  reported  as  being  thwarted  in  his  attack 
on  an  outward  bound  Indiaman  by  a  sudden  storm. 
The  story  is  well  told  by  one  of  the  Indiaman 's 
passsengers  and  as  it  presents  a  good  picture  of  the 
times,  I  herewith  give  it  in  full: — 

The  gong  had  just  sounded  8  bells,  as  Cap:ain  M.  entered  the  cuddy 
"  care  on  his  brow  and  pensive  thoughtfulness."     So  unusual  was  the 


PIRATES  91 

aspect  he  wore,  that  all  remarked  it;    in  general  his  was  the  face  of 

cheerfulness,  not  only  seeming  happy  but  imparting  happiness  to  all 

around. 

"What  has  chased   the  smiles  from   thy   face?"  said    one   of   the 

young  writers,  a  youth  much  given  to  Byron  and  open  neck  cloths. 

"Why  looks  our  Casar  with  an  angry  frown?     But  poetry  apart,  what 

is  the  matter?" 

"  Why!  the  fact  is,  we  are  chased!"  replied  the  captain.     "  Chased  ! 

Chased  !  !  Chased  !  !  I"  was  echoed  from  mouth  to  mouth  in  various  tones 

of  doubt,  alarm  and  admiration. 

"  Yes,  however  extraordinary  it  may  seem  to  this  good  company," 
continued  our  commander,  "  I  have  no  doubt  that  such  is  the  fact  ;  for 
the  vessel  which  was  seen  this  morning  right  astern  and  which  has 
maintained  an  equal  distance  during  the  day  is  coming  up  with  us  hand 
over  hand.  I  am  quite  sure  therefore  that  she  is  after  no  good;  she's 
a  wicket-looking  craft — at  1  bell  we  shall  beat  to  quarters." 

We  had  left  the  Downs  a  few  days  after  the  arrival  of  the  Morytins 
Star,  and  with  our  heads  and  hearts  full  of  that  atrocious  afiair  rushed 
on  the  poop.  The  melancholy  catastrophe  alluded  to  had  been  a 
constant  theme  at  the  cuddy  table  and  many  a  face  shewed  signs  of 
anxiety  at  the  news  just  conveyed  to  us.  On  ascending  the  poop 
assurance  became  doubly  sure,  for,  certain  enough,  there  was  the  beauti- 
ful little  craft  overhauling  us  in  most  gallant  style.  She  was  a  long, 
dark-looking  vessel,  low  in  the  water,  but  having  very  tall  masts,  with 
sails  white  as  the  driven  snow. 

The  drum  had  now  beat  to  quarters,  and  all  was  for  the  time  bustle 
and  preparation.  Sailors  clearing  the  guns,  handing  up  ammunition 
and  distributing  pistols  and  cutlasses.  Soldiers  mustering  on  the 
quarterdeck  prior  to  taking  their  station  on  the  poop,  we  had  200  on 
board.  Women  in  the  waist,  with  anxious  faces  and  children  staring 
with  wondering  eyes.  Writers,  cadets  and  assistant  surgeons  in 
heterogeneous  medley.  The  latter,  as  soon  as  the  news  had  been 
confirmed,  descended  to  their  various  cabins  and  reappeared  in  martial 
attire.  One  young  gentleman  had  his  "  toasting  knife  "  stuck  through 
the  pocket-hole  of  his  inexpressibles — a  second  Monkbarns:  another 
came  on  exulting,  his  full-dress  shako  placed  jauntingiy  on  his  head  as  a 
Bond  Street  beau  wears  his  castor:  a  third,  with  pistols  in  his  sash, 
bis  swallow -tailed  coat  boasting  of  sawdust,  his  sword  dangling  between 
his  legs  in  all  the  extricacies  of  novelty — he  was  truly  a  martial  figure, 
ready  to  seek  for  reputation  even  at  the  cannon's  mouth. 

Writers  had  their  Joe  Manton  and  assistant  surgeons  their  mstru- 
ments.      It  was  a  stirring  sight  and  yet,  withal,  ridiculous. 

But,  now,  the  stranger  quickly  approached  us,  and  quietness  was 
ordered.  The  moment  was  an  interesting  one.  A  deep  silence 
reigned  throughout  the  vessel,  save  now  and  then  the  dash  of  the  water 


92  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

agamst  the  ship's  side,  and  here  and  there  the  half  suppressed  ejaculation 
of  some  impatient  son  of  Neptune. 

Our  enemy,  for  so  we  had  learned  to  designate  the  stranger,  came 
gradually  up  in  our  wake.  No  light,  no  sound  issued  from  her  ;  and 
when  about  a  cable's  length  from  us,  she  luffed  to  the  wind,  as  if  to  pass 
us  to  windward;  but  the  voice  of  the  captam,  who  hailed  her  with  the 
usual  salute,  "  Ship  ahoy!"  made  her  apparently  alter  her  purpose, 
though  she  answered  not,  for,  shifting  her  helm,  she  darted  to  leeward 

of  ns. 

Agam  the  trumpet  sent  forth  its  summons:  but  still  there  was  no 
answer,  and  the  vessel  was  now  about  a  pistol  shot  from  our  larboard 

quarter. 

"  Once  more,  what  ship  s  that  ?  Answer  or  I'll  send  a  broadside 
into  you,-  was  uttered  m  a  voice  of  thunder  from  the  trumpet  by  our 
captain. 

Still  all  was  silent;   and  many  a  heart  beat  with  quicker  pulsation. 

On  a  sudden  we  observed  her  lower  steering  sails  taken  in  by  some 

invisible  agency;  for  all  this  time  we  had  not  seen  a  single  human  being, 

nor  did  we  hear  the  slightest  noise,   although  we  had  listened  with 

painful  attention. 

Matters  began  to  assume  a  very  serious  aspect.  Delay  was  danger- 
ous. It  was  a  critical  moment,  for  we  had  an  advantage  of  position  not 
to  be  thrown  away.  Two  maindeck  guns  were  fired  across  her  bow. 
The  next  moment  our  enemy's  starboard  ports  were  hauled  up  and  we 
could  plainly  discern  every  gun,  with  a  lantern  over  it,  as  they  were  run 
out. 

Still  we  hesitated  with  our  broadside,  and  about  a  minute  afterwards 
our  enemy's  guns  disappeared  as  suddenly  as  they  had  been  run  out. 
We  heard  the  order  given  to  her  helmsman.  She  altered  her  course  and 
in  a  few  seconds  was  astern  of  us. 

We  gazed  at  each  other  in  silent  astonishment,  but  presently  all  was 
explained.  Our  attention  had  been  so  taken  up  by  the  stranger,  that 
we  had  not  thought  of  the  weather,  which  had  been  threatening  some 
time,  and  for  which  reason  we  were  under  snug  sail.  But,  during  our 
short  acquaintance,  the  wind  had  been  gradually  increasing,  and  two 
minutes  after  the  pirate  had  dropt  astern,  it  blew  a  perfect  hurricane 
accompanied  by  heavy  rain. 

We  had  just  time  to  observe  our  friend  scudding  before  it  under  bare 
poles,  and  we  saw  him  no  more. 

After  this  audacious  attempt  Benito  de  Soto  steered 
north,  with  the  intention  of  running  into  Corunna  to 
refit  and  dispose  of  his  plunder.  Off  the  Spanish  coast 
he  captured  a  local  brig,  and  after  plundering  her  sank 


THE      J 


OLLv   Roger 


9      9      < 

X  X  ^ 


PENDANT  STIFFENED 
WITH  LIGHT  BATTENS, 


PIRATES  93 

her  with  all  on  board  except  one  man,  whom  he  retained 
to  pilot  the  Black  Joke  into  Corunna.  As  the  pirate 
neared  the  harbour,  with  this  man  at  the  helm,  de  Soto 
said  to  him : — 

"Is  this  the  entrance?" 

The  reply  was  in  the  affirmative. 

"Very  well,  my  man,"  went  on  the  pirate  captain, 
"you  have  done  well,  I  am  obliged  to  you,"  and 
drawing  a  pistol  from  his  belt  he  shot  the  wretched  man 
dead. 

At  Corunna  the  pirate  managed  to  sell  his  plunder 
without  arousing  suspicion,  and  obtaining  ship's 
papers  under  a  false  name  shaped  a  course  for  Cadiz. 
But  the  weather  coming  on,  he  missed  stays  one  dark 
night  close  inshore  and  took  the  ground.  All  hands, 
however,  managed  to  reach  the  shore  safely  in  the  boats, 
and  de  Soto,  nothing  daunted  by  his  misfortune,  coolly 
arranged  that  they  should  march  overland  to  Cadiz, 
represent  themselves  as  shipwrecked  mariners  and  sell 
the  wreck  there  for  what  it  would  fetch.  At  Cadiz, 
however,  the  authorities  were  more  on  the  alert  than  at 
Corunna,  and  arrested  six  of  the  pirates  on  suspicion 
that  they  M'cre  not  what  they  represented  themselves  to 
be.  They  were  not  quite  quick  enough,  however, 
de  Soto  and  the  rest  of  the  pirate  crew  getting  clean 
away.  The  pirate  captain  made  his  way  to  Gibraltar, 
where  some  of  the  invalid  soldiers  out  of  the  Morning 
Star,  on  their  way  to  Malta,  happened  to  recognise 
him  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  he  wore  a  white  hat  of  the 
best  English  quality,  silk  stockings,  white  trousers  and 
blue  frock-coat.  He  was  thereupon  arrested  and  in 
his  possession  were  found  clothes,  charts,  nautical 
instruments  and  weapons  taken  from  the  Morning  Star. 
This  was  enough  to  convict  him,  but  under  his  pillow 


94  THE  BLACKWALL  FRICxATES 

at  the  inn  where  he  was  staying,  the  maid-servant 
discovered  the  pocket-book  and  diary  of  Captain  Souley, 
which  settled  matters. 

He  was  tried  before  Sir  George  Don,  Governor  of 
Gibraltar,  and  sentenced  to  death.  The  British 
authorities  sent  him  across  to  Cadiz  to  be  executed  along 
with  the  pirates  captured  there.  A  gallows  was 
erected  at  the  water's  edge.  He  was  conveyed  there  in 
a  cart,  which  held  his  coffin.  He  met  his  death  with 
iron  fortitude.  He  actually  arranged  the  noose  round 
his  own  neck,  and  finding  the  loop  came  a  little  too  high, 
calmly  jumped  on  to  the  coffin,  and  settled  it  comfort- 
ably round  his  neck  as  cool  and  unconcerned  as  if  it  had 
only  been  a  neckcloth.  Then,  after  taking  a  final  look 
round,  he  gazed  for  a  moment  steadfastly  out  to  sea. 
As  the  wheels  of  the  tumbril  began  to  revolve,  he  cried 
out  "Adios  todos  !"  (farewell  all),  and  threw  himself 
forward  in  order  to  hasten  the  end. 

Thus  died  Benito  de  Soto,  the  last  of  the  more  notable 
pirates,  and  a  true  example  of  the  old-time  sea  rover. 

Curiously  enough,  in  the  autumn  of  the  very  year  that 
finished  Benito  de  Soto's  career,  a  man  of  the  same  name 
was  also  taken  for  piracy.  This  man  was  the  mate  of 
the  pirate  schooner  Pinta,  which  brought  to  the  brig 
Mexican,  of  Salem,  on  20th  September,  1832.  The 
Mexican  was  on  a  passage  from  Salem  to  Rio  Janeiro; 
when  in  33°  N.,  34°  30'  W.,  the  Pinta  ranged  up  along- 
side flying  Brazilian  colours,  and  launched  a  horde  of 
ruffians  on  to  her  decks.  After  robbing  the  American 
of  20,000  dollars  in  specie,  the  pirates  stripped  her 
officers  and  crew  and,  fastening  them  down  below,  set 
fire  to  the  brig. 

Captain  Batman  and  his  men,  however,  succeeded  in 
forcing  the  scuttle  and  reached  the  deck  in  time  to  put 


PIRATES  95 

out  the  flames.  The  case  was  reported  to  the  U.S. 
Government,  who  sent  out  a  cruiser  after  the  pirate 
without  success.  However,  the  Pinta  was  captured 
shortly  afterwards  on  the  African  coast  by  the  British 
gun  brig  Curlew,  and  the  pirates  were  sent  over  to 
America  for  trial.  They  were  all  duly  hanged  at 
Boston  with  the  exception  of  de  Soto,  who  was  pardoned 
by  President  Jackson  because  some  years  before,  when 
in  command  of  the  Spanish  brig  Leon,  he  had  saved  72 
persons  from  the  ship  Minerva,  of  Salem,  which  was  on 
fire.  This  he  accomplished  at  great  risk  to  his  own  life. 
The  two  cases  form  a  peculiar  paradox;  after  saving 
one  crew  from  fire,  de  Soto  straightaway  turns  pirate 
and  at  the  first  opportunity  helps  to  set  fire  to  another 
crew  !     A  strange  man  I 

Madeira. 

Our  Indiaman  only  makes  one  stop  on  the  out- 
ward passage,  and  that  is  at  Funchal,  Madeira,  for  the 
purpose  of  taking  up  wine,  which  it  was  the  regular 
custom  to  ship  out  East  and  home  for  the  sake  of 
maturity. 

This  was  a  welcome  halt  for  the  passengers,  who 
enjoyed  their  run  ashore  as  much  as  those  on  the  Union- 
Castle  boats  do  at  the  present  day.  Sometimes  the 
captain  of  an  Indiaman  gave  a  ball,  at  which  the  griffins 
and  writers  made  great  play  with  the  beautiful  signoritas 
of  the  island.  x\s  a  rule,  however,  the  Indiaman  only 
waited  long  enough  to  ship  some  50  or  60  pipes  of 
Madeira  wine  before  heading  away  on  her  course  south. 

Tapping  the  Admiral. 

The  pipes  of  Madeira  were  supposed  to  benefit 
by  their  long  voyage,  but  it  very  often  happened 
that   they  also   considerably  diminished    in  quantity. 


96  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

especially  if  there  happened  to  be  some  cunning  old  fore- 
bowline  amongst  her  thirsty  crew.  Indeed  "tapping 
the  admiral"  was  the  constant  endeavour  of  an  India- 
man's  crew.  It  consisted  of  boring  a  hole  in  a  pipe  of 
wine  and  sucking  out  the  contents  through  a  goose  quill. 
In  this  way  many  a  pipe  of  Madeira  disappeared  on  its 
voyage  of  maturity. 

Calcutta  and  the  Hooghly  River  in  the  Days 
of  John  Company. 

The  Thames,  in  heading  south,  sails  rather  a 
different  course  to  what  Maury,  the  great  American, 
and  other  later  navigators  advise.  She  crosses  the 
line,  where  the  usual  rough  and  tumble  ceremonies  take 
place,  as  far  to  the  eastward  as  possible,  and  forces  her 
wav  south  well  over  on  the  African  side  of  the  South 
Atlantic;  hauls  rather  close  round  the  Cape,  receiving 
a  severe  battering  in  the  process ;  then  as  soon  as  it  is 
practicable  heads  away  north.  In  the  light  winds 
and  hot  sun  of  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  the  ship  is  prepared 
for  port.  She  is  painted  inside  and  out,  the  rigging 
is  set  up,  tarred  and  carefully  rattled  down,  the  decks 
are  oiled  and  the  bright  work  varnished. 

A  day  comes  when  the  deep  blue  of  the  ocean  changes 
to  a  reddish  tint;  a  cast  of  the  deep  sea  lead  finds 
bottom  and  brings  up  black  mud  in  the  arming,  and 
old-timers  swear  they  can  smell  the  land. 

Next  a  lone  brig  is  sighted  standing  down  to  the 
Indiaman  under  easy  sail. 

"Hurrah!  there's  the  pilot  brig!  "sings  out  Jack,  and  in 
a  moment  the  ship  is  humm  ing  with  excitement.  Some  of 
the  soldiers  run  up  the  shrouds  in  competition  as  to  which 
will  see  the  land  first,  but  though  one  or  two  of  them 
goes  high  as  the  royal  yard, they  come  down  defeated. 


SIGHTING  LAND  97 

Presently  the  rail  is  lined  as  a  large  boat  pulled  by 
natives  puts  off  from  the  brig.  The  pilot  gives  the  ship 
its  first  whiff  of  the  East,  in  the  shape  of  Bengal  cheroots, 
which  he  hands  round  to  the  captain  and  the  passengers. 

He  proves  to  be  a  tall,  refined- looking  man,  neatly 
dressed  in  whites.  He  brings  with  him  his  leadsman. 
a  smart  young  fellow  sporting  a  silk  jacket  with  anchor 
buttons.  The  leadsman  is  the  half-fledged  pilot.  His 
function  is  a  very  important  one  in  the  shifting  sands 
of  the  Hooghly  mouth  and  his  lead  line  is  not  marked  in 
the  usual  way  but  at  every  3  inches  of  its  length. 
The  last  of  the  lordly  Calcutta  pilot's  appendages  is  his 
silent  Hindoo  servant. 

It  is  a  beat  in,  which  will  make  it  heavy  work  tiding 
up  the  river,  but  the  crew  are  cheered  up  by  the  news 
that  they  will  get  "pilot's  grog"  served  out  three  times 
a  day. 

As  we  near  the  Sandheads,  the  colour  of  the  water 
begins  to  be  influenced  by  the  bottom.  Here  it  is 
violet,  there  to  leeward  pale  green,  and  where  the 
current  seems  swiftest  a  reddish  brown. 

The  first  land  sighted  is  Saugor  Point.  We  are  soon 
in  the  hard  business  of  the  Saugor  Channel,  and  going 
about  every  10  minutes.  In  the  intervals  of  'bout  ship, 
the  only  sound  aboard  is  the  sing-song  voice  of  the 
leadsman  as  he  gives  the  water  under  us. 

And  there  is  not  much  to  see:  low  distant  land,  a 
sandbank  here  with  the  ribs  of  some  unfortunate  ship 
sticking  out  of  it  :  there  a  solitary  red  or  white  buoy. 

Presently  we  pass  Tiger  Island,  and  then  anchor  off 
Kedgeree  whilst  the  ebb  runs.  Night  falls  and  the 
noises  of  the  waking  jungle  bring  the  Anglo-Indians,  like 
war  horses  scenting  the  battle,  to  the  weather-rail. 

At  the  same  time  the  raw  recruits  in  the  waist  are 

H 


98  THE  BL ACKWALL  FRIGATES 

soon  fighting  their  first  Indian  battle  as  the  skirmishers 
of  the  tropics  invade  their  ranks.  Yes,  the  noise  of 
slapping  and  datnning  gives  evidence  of  the  mosquito 
feasting  on  the  fresh-faced  boys  from  England. 

Natives  from  Saugor  and  Kedgeree  were  the  next 
arrivals,  bearing  vegetables,  fruit  and  eggs,  and  the 
bargaining  for  these  dainties  filled  the  ship  with  a  shrill 
clamour. 

Morning  finds  the  T/iame*  underweigh  again,  running 
up  with  the  stream,  low  muddy  shores  with  a  background 
of  jungle  on  each  side  of  her.  The  river  is  now  a  turbid, 
mud  colour;  upon  its  rapid  waters  an  occasional  native 
dinghy  is  seen  fishing,  but  to  eyes  accustomed  to  the 
ceaseless  traffic  of  modern  Calcutta,  the  Hooghly  would 
have  seemed  strangely  empty  and  deserted. 

At  Fort  Diamond  two  large  row-boats  filled  with 
naked  Hindoos  pull  off  to  the  ship.  They  are  to  supply 
the  place  of  the  n>odern  tug-boat  and  their  business  is  to 
help  the  ship's  head  round  in  the  ticklish  navigation 
before  us.  By  their  aid  we  successfully  negotiate  the 
famous  James  and  Mary  Shoals  and  at  length  arrive  off 
Garden  Reach,  where  several  splendid  Indiamen  are 
lying  moored  in  tiers,  the  inner  ships  with  wooden 
gangways  on  to  the  muddy  shore.  We  land  at  Mud 
Ghaut  in  a  dinghy  wallah  and  are  soon  busy  exploring 
the  city,  ending  up  with  a  drive  on  the  Esplanade  at  the 
fashionable  hour  of  the  day. 

In  Calcutta  the  captain  of  a  first  class  Indiaman  is  a 
man  of  some  dignity.  He  generally  lives  ashore  in  a 
house  of  his  own.  He  is  rarely  seen  on  board  his  ship, 
though  he  occasionally  pays  it  a  visit  of  state  in  company 
with  some  high  official  of  the  company.  On  these 
occasions  he  is  received  with  a  salute  of  seven  guns  and 
the  ship  is  specially  prepared  for  company. 


IN  PORT  99 

Whilst  ashore  he  entertains  largely.  Nor  are  the 
palanquin  or  gharry  fit  for  his  high-mightiness  when  he 
drives  abroad.  He  must  needs  have  a  splendid  carriage 
drawn  by  four  horses,  at  the  heads  of  which  gorgeous 
native  footmen  can  be  seen,  armed  with  long  fly  whisks, 
whilst  ahead  runners  sing  a  continual  chant,  beseech- 
ing everyone  to  make  way  for  the  great  sea  captain. 
Whilst  the  commander  pursues  his  triumphant  way 
ashore,  aboard  the  crew  with  the  aid  of  a  gang  of  coolies 
work  cargo  and  take  in  silk,  spices,  indigo,  saltpetre 
and  hides. 

We  know  of  one  Indiaman  which  took  a  whole 
menagerie  aboard  at  Calcutta,  including  a  Bengal  tiger, 
a  present  to  King  William  IV.  Unfortunately  she  ran 
into  a  cyclone  off  Mauritius,  fell  into  the  centre  where 
the  sea  was  like  a  boiling  pot,  and  all  the  wild  beasts 
with  the  exception  of  the  tiger  were  drowned. 

Whilst  the  ship  is  in  port,  a  bumboat  is  allowed 
alongside  at  certain  times,  and  each  A.B.  is  allowed  so 
many  rupees  credit — a  dozen  or  so^ — to  buy  fruit  and 
curios,  and  silks  and  cottons,  but  no  spirits. 

There  is  one  very  unpleasant  morning  duty  in  the 
Hooghly,  that  is  the  clearing  away  of  dead  Hindoos 
which  have  been  caught  in  the  ship's  moorings.  In 
those  days  the  river  was  always  full  of  bodies  over  which 
the  vultures  flocked  in  endless  numbers. 

The  middies  were  not  allowed  to  run  wild  ashore,  but 
were  only  given  liberty  like  the  men;  a  first-voyager 
generallv  found  himself  heading  for  Tank  Square  on  his 
first  trip  ashore,  in  order  to  see  the  Black  Hole  of 
Calcutta,  a  dungeon  in  wh  ich  147  English  men  and 
women  were  suffocated  during  the  hot  weather  of  1756. 

As  soon  as  the  cargo  is  aboard,  the  ship  is  got  ready 
for  the  passengers.       We  are  to  have  sick  troops  in  the 


100  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

'tween  decks,  and  the  usual  mixture  of  Anglo-Indians 
in  the  cuddy,  with  one  or  two  great  personages  such  as 
a  judge  and  a  brigadier. 

The  Thames  has  a  more  or  less  uneventful  run  home. 
A  welcome  halt  is  made  in  Simon's  Bay,  where  the 
passengers  are  diverted  by  the  exciting  spectacle  of  a 
whale  hunt.  This  used  to  be  quite  a  profitable  business 
in  Simon's  Bay  at  one  time. 

The  usual  kindly  south-east  trades  were  experienced, 
and  we  went  "rolling  down  to  St.  Helena"  with  every 
kite  set  that  could  be  hung  out. 

St.  Helena  Festivities. 

At  St.  Helena  we  stayed  a  couple  of  days;  and 
the  captain  gave  a  grand  ball  to  the  inhabitants  and  the 
officers  and  passengers  of  other  Indiamen. 

The  Scaleby  Castle  returned  our  hospitality  by  a  most 
cleverly  staged  performance  of  "Black-eyed  Susan.  " 

The  play  was  introduced  by  some  very  fine  sailors' 
dancing  of  reels,  jigs  and  hornpipes ;  then,  as  the  whole 
crew  were  singing: — 

All  in  the  Downs  the  fleet  lay  moored 
When  Black-eyed  Susan  came  aboard, 

a  very  pretty  Susan  skipped  lightly  aboard  from  the 
main  chains,  and  after  bowing  deeply  to  the  captain  and 
the  big-wigs  in  the  front  of  the  audience,  burst  into:— 

Sailor,  sailor,   tell  me   true. 

Does  my  Sweet  William  sail  among  your  crew? 

This  was  the  signal  for  the  smart  captain  of  the 
maintop,  on  the  Scaleby  Castle,  who  immediately  came 
hurtling  down  from  aloft  by  means  of  the  first  rope  that 
came  handy  and  at  a  speed  which  must  have  burnt  even 
his  calloused  hands. 

William  is  dressed  up  to  kill  from  his  black  pumps  to 
his  shiny  tarpaulin  hat.      His  luxuriant  curls  are  over- 


FESTIVITIES  ON  BOARD  101 

powered  with  bear's  grease,  his  kerchief  is  all  the 
colours  of  the  rainbow,  and  his  short  blue  coat  has 
guinea  buttons.  His  waistcoat  is  white  with  blue 
spots,  and  his  trousers  of  white  duck  are  so  drawn  in 
over  the  hips  that  he  has  a  waist  like  a  ballet-dancer. 

Oh,  Susan  dear,  how  came  you  here? 

thunders  William,  as  if  he  were  hailing  the  topgallant 
yard.  Then  the  pair  dance  a  fandango  with  great 
energy.  The  performance  ends  with  a  grand  sing-song 
in  which  both  performers  and  audience  join.  Then  as 
the  last  verse  of  "Spanish  Ladies"  echoes  through  the 
ship,  the  chorus  is  taken  up  by  the  crews  of  the  neigh- 
bouring vessels : — 

We'll  rant  and  we'll  roar,  like  true  British  sailors. 
We'll  rant  and  we'll  roar  across  the  salt  seas  ; 

Until  we  strike  soundings 

In  the  Channel  of  old  England 
From  Ushant  to  Scilly  is  thirty-five  leagues. 

The  next  morning  with  a  thunder  of  guns,  much 
bunting  and  much  cheering  betw^een  the  ships  and  shore 
boats,  the  homcAvard -bound  Indiamen  let  fall  their 
topsails  and  set  out  on  the  home  stretch. 

A  week  later  we  hove  to  off  Ascension  and  traded  a 
case  or  two  of  spirits  for  some  turtle  with  a  boatload  of 
soldiers. 

The  equator  is  crossed  with  the  usual  ceremonies, 
and  we  are  soon  close-hauled  in  the  north-east  trades. 
A  spell  of  doldrums,  a  night  or  two  made  bright  with 
lightning,  and  out  of  a  heavy  squall  bursts  forth  the 
brave  west  wind  which  carries  us  foaming  into  soundings. 

Finally  the  anchor  is  dropped  in  Plymouth  Sound, 
where,  after  a  great  deal  of  leave-taking,  for  life -long 
friends  are  made  on  these  leisurely  passages,  we  bid  a 
last  farewell  to  the  gallant  old  Thames  and  take  coach 
to  London  town. 


PART  III. 
'«THE  BLACKWALLERS.'* 

And  th«i  beauty  and  mystery  of  the  ships 
And  the  magic  of  the  sea. — Longfellow, 

The  Divided  Interests  of  Green  and  Wigram. 

THE  owners  of  the  Blackwall  Yard  made  one  great 
mistake,  and  this  in  the  end  brouglit  about  their 
separation.  Instead  of  buying  and  building  ships  for 
the  firm,  the  partners  played  their  own  hands.  Ship 
after  ship  was  built  in  the  yard:  generally  a  pair  of 
sister  ships  being  laid  down  together,  one  for  the  family 
of  Green  and  the  other  for  the  family  of  Wigram,  but 
rarely  one  for  the  combined  firm,  until  in  a  very  few 
years  the  Greens  had  a  considerable  f\cet  running  to  the 
East  in  competition  with  an  equal  Wigram  fleet,  w^hilst 
the  ships  of  the  firm  had  been  allowed  to  drop  away  so 
fast  that  in  1841  there  were  only  two  left,  the  old 
Roxburgh  Castle  and  the  Pyramus. 

In  1843,  the  term  of  partnership  having  expired,  the 
two  families  severed  connections  for  good  and  divided 
the  famous  old  yard  between  them,  Money  Wigram  and 
Sons  taking  the  western  portion  and  R.  &  H.  Green  the 
eastern  portion. 

The  arrangement  meant  the  breaking  up  of  all  the 

old  associations,  and  we  are  told  of  the  distress  of  one 

of  the  firm's  old  captains,  when,  on  returning  from  a 

voyage,  he   found  "a    brick    wall  running  through  the 

yard  and  the  red  cross  through  the  flag.  " 

102 


DICKY  GREEN  103 

Dicky  Green. 

The  famous  Dicky  Green,  the  elder  of  the  two 
brothers,  R.  and  H.  Green,  was  an  example  of  the  very 
best  type  of  private  shipowner.  His  name  was  known 
and  revered  in  shipping  circles  all  over  the  world. 

The  bronze  statue  before  the  Public  Baths  in  the  East 
India  Dock  Road  stands  as  a  proof  of  his  popularity  in 
Blackwall.  His  charities  indeed  were  wholesale.  He 
was  a  bit  of  an  invalid  from  birth  and  thus  left  a  great 
deal  of  the  practical  side  of  the  business  to  his  brother 
Henry,  who  had  been  trained  both  as  a  shipwright  and 
a  seaman.  Thus  Dicky  Green  had  more  spare  time, 
and  he  delighted  to  wander  about  Poplar,  his  favourite 
hound.  Hector,  at  his  heels  and  a  crowd  of  ragged  street 
urchins  in  his  wake.  He  always  wore  waistcoats  with 
very  capacious  pockets  and  from  one  of  these  pockets  he 
was  wont  to  distribute  sixpences  to  the  old  people  at  the 
almshouses,  whilst  from  the  other  he  produced  sweets  for 
the  children.  In  his  charities  and  philanthropic  work 
he  worthily  upheld  the  name  of  his  father  George,  to 
whom  Poplar  was  indebted  for  Green's  Sailors  Home, 
the  Trinity  Schools,  the  Trinity  Chapel  and  the  alms- 
houses, to  mention  the  chief  only  of  his  gifts  to  the  East 
End. 

With  such  a  man  as  Dicky  Green  at  the  head  of  the 
firm,  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  comfort  of  the  officers 
and  men  was  of  more  consideration  than  the  balance 
sheet.  Indeed  no  ships  were  ever  more  staunciily 
built  or  more  generously  kept  up  than  those  of  the 
lilackwall  Line. 

Dicky  Green  died  1863.  Whilst  he  lived  iron  ships 
were  not  even  hinted  at  in  the  Blackwall  Yard,  and  it  is 
probable  that  the  Superb,  Carlisle  Castle  and  Melbourne 
would  never  have  been  countenanced  by  the  staunch 


104  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

old  Conservative.  Iron  shipbuilding  has  never 
flourished  on  the  Thames  and  I  think  one  may  say  that 
it  was  partly  the  introduction  of  iron  that  ended 
Green's  famous  Black  wall  Line. 

Money  Wigram  &  Sons. 

The  family   of  Wigram  rivalled   the  family   of 
Green  in  its  influence  upon  London  shipping. 

It  is  always  difficult  for  two  strong  personalities  to 
run  in  double  harness,  and  this  was  probably  the  chief 
reason  why  the  old  firm  of  Green  &  Wigram  broke  up. 

Yet  the  yard  continued  for  rome  years  to  build  sister 
ships  in  pairs,  one  for  Green  and  one  for  Wigram,  and 
Money  Wigram  was  no  wit  behind  Green  in  the  way  in 
which  he  ran  and  maintained  his  ships.  The  rivalry 
must  have  been  very  keen,  yet  I  can  find  no  traces  of 
bitterness. 

Money  Wigram  was  one  of  the  first  of  London  owners 
to  transfer  ships  from  the  Indian  trade  to  the  Australian 
trade.  And  as  far  back  as  1837  we  find  him  launching 
a  little  barque  of  293  tons  called  the  Emu,  which  he 
had  specially  designed  for  the  Australian  trade. 

Wigram 's  fleet  was  never  quite  as  large  a  one  as 
Green's;  and  like  many  other  enterprising  shipowners, 
the  firm  were  enticed  into  trying  to  run  auxiliary 
steamers;  this  led  to  the  rather  early  demise  of  their 
sailing  ships. 

Joseph  Somes. 

In  writing  of  the  old-time  shipowners,  one  can- 
not help  being  struck  by  the  way  in  which  personalities 
rather  than  companies  swayed  the  destinies  of  British 
shipping. 

I\u  doubt  this  is  always  the  case,  but  in  those  days  the 


DICKY  GREEN. 


CAPTAIN  FURNELL,  OF  THE  "  SERINGAPATAM." 

[To  face  Page  104. 


JOSEPH  SOMES  105 

personality  was  not  so  hidden  from  the  public  eye — 
hidden  amongst  the  names  of  a  full  board  of  directors. 

These  old  shipowners  ruled  their  firms  like  autocrats, 
and  built  up  the  great  British  Mercantile  Marine  of  the 
present  day  just  as  the  great  Empire  builders  built  up 
the  British  P^mpire.  Amongst  such  owners  we  find 
the  names  of  Green,  Smith,  Wigram,  Joseph  Somes, 
Duncan  Dunbar,  James  Baines,  Wilson,  Willis, 
Thompson  and  Anderson  looming  up  head  and  shoulders 
above  their  fellows  just  as  amongst  the  Empire  builders 
we  find  those  of  Clive,  Raffles  and  Rhodes. 

With  the  demise  of  the  old  John  Company,  these  men 
found  their  opportunity  and  amongst  the  first  to  seize 
this  opportunity  was  Joseph  Somes.  Joseph  Somes 
began  his  career  as  an  India  husband.  But  with  his 
enterprise  it  was  not  long  before  he  had  ships  trading 
to  every  part  of  the  world.  Some  of  his  earliest  ships, 
such  as  the  Perseverance,  423  tons,  built  at  Quebec  in 
1801,  were  South  Sea  whalers;  others  were  West 
Indiamen;  and  he  was  also  well  known  for  the  number 
of  his  ships  taken  up  for  various  purposes  by  the  Govern- 
ment. Many  of  his  ships  were  hired  for  the  transport 
of  convicts,  and  Lieut.  Coates  gives  a  list  o£  rates 
paid  to  him  for  the  years  1840  and  1841  in  this  f  ruesome 
traffic,  viz. : — 


Maitland 

648  tons  £5    0 

0  per  ton  per  \  jyage 

Asia 

636     ..     £5    9 

0       

Eden 

522     ,,     £5  13 

9 , 

Lord  Lyndoch 
Mary  Ann 
Mexborough 

638     „     £5  14 
394     ,,     £6    4 
376     ,.     £6    6 

0       

4       

0       

His  house-flag,  which  only  differed  from  the  White 
Ensign  in  having  an  anchor  instead  of  the  Union  Jack 
in  the  canton,  is  supposed  to  have  been  granted  to  him 
as  a  reward  for  his  many  services  to  the  Government 


106  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

in  time  of  need.  When  the  H.E.I.C.  sold  their  fleet, 
Joseph  Somes  bought  some  of  their  finest  ships  such  as 
the  Earl  of  Balcarres,  Thomas  Coutts,  Abercromhie 
Robinson,  Lowther  Castle,  George  the  Fourth  and  Java. 
This  latter  had  a  particularly  interesting  history. 

The  Old  "Java." 

She  was  built  at  Calcutta  in  1813,  and  presented, 
fully  equipped,  to  a  British  officer  by  a  grateful  father, 
for  saving  his  daughter  who  had  been  carried  off  by 
savages.  The  British  officer,  apparently,  landed  a 
party  in  pursuit  and  eventually  found  the  girl,  lying 
stripped  of  all  her  clothes  but  unhurt,  in  the  jungle.  As 
a  confirmation  of  this  story  the  Java's  figurehead 
represented  a  naked  woman  with  her  hands  clasped  as  if 
praying  for  deliverance. 

The  Java  was  built  of  teak  and  mounted  30  guns.  In 
1856  or  1857  she  was  sold  to  John  Hall,  of  Loudon,  and 
in  1865  she  sailed  to  Gibraltar  to  end  her  days  as  a  coal 
hulk.  On  her  passage  out  she  struck  on  the  Pearl  Rock, 
but  got  off  and  reached  Gibraltar  safely.  The  under- 
writers, however,  insisted  on  her  returning  to  London 
to  be  examined,  when  it  was  found  that  a  large  piece  of 
rock  lay  embedded  in  her  teak  bottom.  She  then 
returned  to  Gibraltar  and  was  turned  into  a  coal  hulk. 
Lieut.  Coates  saw  her  there  in  the  nineties,  she  was  then 
83  years  of  age  and  her  only  leak  was  where  she  had  been 
repaired  after  the  piece  of  rock  had  been  removed. 
Lieut.  Coates'  description  of  her  is  full  of  interest. 
After  remarking  on  her  shortness,  her  low  bluff  bow, 
tumblehome  sides,  and  double  row  of  gunports,  he  goes 
on  to  say : — 

The  waist  from  the  break  of  the  poop  to  that  of  the  forecastle  was 
80  short  aa  to  seem  almost  a  square.      On  the  up^er  deck  were  12  gun- 


THE  JAVA  107 

ports,  and  in  the  stanchions  on  either  side  of  them  were  still  to  be  seen 
the  heavy  iron  eye-bolts  for  securing  the  breeching  of  the  guns. 

One  mast  still  stood,  which,  being  of  teak,  might  be  reasonably 
assumed  to  have  been  the  original  stick. 

On  her  forecastle  were  still  showing  her  knight-heads;  a  stump  of  a 
bowsprit  protruded  from  the  bow,  and  one  of  the  original  cat-heads 
still  remained;  the  other,  I  was  told,  had  been  shorn  off  by  a  passing 
steamer.  Her  windlass,  though  antiquated,  seemed  massive  enough 
to  have  held  the  Great  Eastern. 

We  descended  then  on  to  her  main  deck.  On  this  deck  she  had 
apparently  carried  12  guns,  and  here,  as  on  the  upper  deck,  the  breeching 
bolts  for  securing  her  guns  to  the  side  still  remained,  a  silent  testimony 
to  the  stirring  times  in  which  she  had  been  afloat. 

We  found  during  our  wanderings  the  old  pair  of  double  steering 
wheels,  which  formerly  had  their  place,  as  was  a  custom  in  those  days 
under  the  break  of  the  poop.  Now,  in  the  closing  days  of  this  grand 
old  ship,  they  had  been  removed  from  their  place  and  been  utilised  as  the 
wheels  of  the  hand  winch.  The  upper  and  main  deck  beams  were 
supported  by  massive  teak  stanchions  handsomely  turned. 

Joseph  Somes  was  one  of  the  promoters  of  Lloyd's 
Register.  In  his  old  age  he  was  partnered  by  his  sons, 
and  the  firm  at  his  death  disguised  itself  under  the  name 
of  the  Merchant  Shipping  Company. 

T.  &  VV.  Smith. 

In  the  history  of  the  Calcutta  and  Madras 
passenger  trade,  T.  &  W.  Smith,  of  Newcastle,  rank  on 
an  equality  with  Green  aud  Wigram. 

The  firm  was  founded  as  far  back  as  the  beginning 
of  the  nineteenth  century  by  Thomas  Smith,  one  of 
the  Smiths,  of  Togstone,  in  Northumberland,  who, 
having  served  an  apprenticeship  with  a  Newcastle 
ropemaker,  eventually,  like  George  Green  at  Blackwall, 
married  his  master's  daughter  and  succeeded  to  his 
business.  This  example  of  the  good  apprentice  had 
two  sons,  Thomas,  born  in  1783,  and  William,  born  in 
1787.  The  elder  joined  his  father  as  a  ropemaker, 
whilst  the  youngest  was  apprenticed  to  AVilliam  Rowe, 
at  that  time  the  largest  shipbuilder  on  the  Tyue. 


108  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

In  1808,  the  year  William  Smith  completed  his 
apprenticeship,  Rowe  launched  the  largest  ship  ever 
built  on  the  Tyne— H.M.S.  Bucephalus,  a  32 -gun 
frigate,  measuring  970  tons. 

Two  years  later  old  Thomas  Smith  bought  Rowe's 
business  and,  taking  his  two  sons  into  partnership, 
founded  the  shipbuilding  firm  of  Smith  &  Sons,  though 
he  still  continued  the  ropemaking  business  with  his 
eldest  son. 

The  Smiths  had  not  been  long  in  the  business  before 
they  turned  their  attention  to  the  bu'.lding  of  Indiamen, 
at  that  time  almost  the  monopoly  of  the  Blackwall 
Yard.  Curiously  enough,  their  first  Indiaman  was  the 
Duke  of  Roxburgh,  of  417  tons  burthen,  built  to  the 
order  of  their  rivals,  Green  &  VVigram. 

She  was  followed  by  the  George  Green,  also  to  the 
order  of  the  famous  Blackwall  firm  and  launched  on 
Boxing  Day,  26th  December,  1829.  This  ship,  accord- 
ing to  a  contemporary  account,  was  considered  the  finest 
passenger-carrying  merchantman  ever  built  on  the  Tyne 
at  that  date  and  the  equal  of  any  London-built  ship. 
She  measured  568  tons  burthen  on  a  length  of  135  feet, 
was  "frigate -built"  and  "fitted  up  with  much  elegance 
for  the  carrying  of  passengers."  Her  life,  however, 
was  a  short  one,  as  she  was  lost  on  her  way  to 
London  from  the  Tyne.  Smith's  next  Indiamen 
was  the  Duke  of  Northumberland,  of  600  tons  burthen, 
launched  28th  February,  1831.  It  was  soon  after  this, 
however,  that  the  Newcastle  firm  commenced  running 
ships  of  their  own  to  Madras  and  Calcutta  in  competition 
with  Green  and  Wigram. 

In  1830  old  Thomas  Smith  died,  and  the  firm  then 
became  Thomas  &  William  Smith,  and  began  to  develop 
in  every  direction. 


T.   &  W.  SMITH  109 

They  soon  owned  the  largest  shipbuilding  business 
on  the  Tyne,  and  besides  running  their  own  ships  in  the 
East  Indian  trade  had  a  fleet  of  colliers  jogging  between 
the  Tyne  and  London.  At  Gravesend  they  owned  coal 
hulks;  at  Blackwall  a  sailmaking  loft,  and  in  the  East 
India  Dock  a  warehouse. 

Smith's  Indiamen  were  always  pierced  for  guns  so  that 
they  could  readily  be  converted  into  war  vessels,  and 
they  always  carried  a  couple  of  32-pounders. 

Their  two  largest  and  finest  ships,  the  Marlborough 
and  Blenheim,  were  specially  surveyed  for  the  Govern- 
ment and  reported  as  frigates  fit  for  carrying  armaments, 
and  at  the  Great  Exhibition  of  1851  they  were  presented 
with  silk  ensigns  and  house-flags  as  being  the  finest  ships 
in  the  British  Mercantile  Marine. 

About  this  date  the  designation  "Line"  came  into 
fashion  amongst  shipping  firms,  and  eventually  Smith's 
became  known  as  the  Blue  Cross  Line,  the  name  being 
due  to  their  house-flag. 

When  the  Suez  Canal  was  opened,  the  Smiths  joined 
another  Newcastle  firm  and  started  sending  steamers 
through  the  Canal,  their  Blue  Cross  being  the  first 
steamer  through  that  ditch,  which  did  so  much  to  kill  the 
sailing  ship.  Indeed,  it  was  owing  to  the  Suez  Canal 
that  T.  &  W.  Smith  decided  to  give  up  sailing  ships 
and  sell  their  fleet. 

Duncan  Dunbar. 

The  only  other  owner  of  frigate-built  passenger 
ships  of  any  note  was  the  famous  Duncan  Dunbar,  who 
died  in  1862  leaving  a  fortune  of  a  million  and  a  half. 

His  ships,  however,  were  not  built  in  London.  A 
number  of  them  were  built  at  his  own  yard  in  Moulmein, 
and  except  for  two  or  three  of  the  later  ones,  the  rest 


no  THE  BLACKWALL  FRTCxATES 

came  from  Sunderland.  Duncan  Dunbar  was  a  great 
believer  in  India-built  ships,  and  the  vessels  he  built  at 
Brema,  Moulmcin,  were  noted  for  their  stoutness. 
They  were  all  built  of  teak,  cut  from  tlie  forests  that 
lined  the  banks  of  the  river  and  surrounded  the  yard, 
which  is  now  owned  by  a  timber  exporter  though  the 
old  dock  gates  are  still  in  existence.  As  a  proof  of  the 
staunchness  of  his  Moulmein  built  ships,  I  find  that  his 
Marion,  684  tons,  launched  in  1834,  was  wrecked  off 
Newfoundland,  in  1877,  after  many  years  in  the  North 
Atlantic  trade.  And  the  Lady  Macdonald,  678  tons, 
launched  in  1847,  was  still  afloat  in  the  nineties. 

Duncan  Dunbar  succeeded  his  father,  who  came  to 
England  before  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century  and 
started  shipowning  in  a  small  way,  Duncan  Dunbar, 
the  elder,  died  in  1825,  and  his  famous  son,  on  taking 
over  the  business,  very  soon  made  his  name  familiar 
both  in  the  Indian  and  Australian  trades,  and  many 
of  his  ships  remained  in  these  trades  until  long  after 
his  death  though  they  had  been  dispersed  under  other 
house-flags. 

The  Captains  of  the  Blackwall  Frigates. 

A  man  who  had  gained  the  command  of  a  Black- 
wall  frigate  was  considered  to  have  reached  the  topmost 
pinnacle  of  his  profession,  and  a  very  comfortable 
pinnacle  it  was,  being  worth  to  its  lucky  possessor  often 
as  much  as  £5000  a  year.  It  allowed  a  man  to  put 
"Esquire"  after  his  name  and  to  add  to  it "  Commander,  " 
as  is  well  seen  in  the  dedications  on  the  numerous 
lithographs  and  paintings  of  these  stately  ships. 

One  has  but  to  mention  such  names  as  Sir  Allen 
Young,  Henry  Toynbee,  John  Sydney  Webb,  Methven, 


CAPTAIN   METHVEN. 


CAPTAIN  TOYNBEE,  OF  THE  "HOTSPUR." 

[To  face  Page  110. 


BLACKWALL  COMMANDERS  m 

Parish,  Wilcox,  C.  Johnson,  and  Studdert  to  recognise 
that  these  Blackwall  captains  were  past  masters  of  the 
sea. 

In  the  science  of  navigation  they  were  far  in  advance 
of  the  ordinary  shipmaster  of  their  day.  Lunars  with 
them  were  a  recreation,  and  they  regularly  used  the 
stars  at  a  date  when  most  navigators  were  quite  content 
with  a  meridian  altitude.  At  the  same  time  they  were 
noted  for  the  good  tracks  which  they  made  both  out  and 
home.  Many  of  them  seemed  to  have  a  quite  uncanny 
talent  for  finding  fair  winds  and  for  avoiding  calm 
patches,  and  though  the  painstaking  Maury  showed  the 
navigator  the  longitude  to  cross  the  line,  the  parallel 
to  run  the  easting  down  on,  etc.,  etc.,  these  experienced 
Blackwallers  did  not  need  him — they  were  true  ocean 
pilots  v/hether  in  the  Channel,  to  the  southard  of  the 
Cape  or  in  the  Bay  of  Bengal. 

But  they  were  far  more  than  mere  scientific  navigators, 
they  were  many  of  them  sea  naturalists  and  oceano- 
graphers  of  no  mean  calibre. 

With  the  passing  of  the  sailing  ship,  the  sea  naturalist 
has  lost  his  opportunity.  The  sailor  of  to-day  knows 
very  little  of  the  teaming  life  under  his  keel  and  on  all 
sides  of  him — no  dolphin,  albacore,  bonita,  or  porpoise 
can  keep  up  with  a  modern  steamship  for  more  than  a 
few  moments,  and  even  an  albatross  is  soon  tired  out  by 
a  steady  15-knotter.  Still  less  is  there  opportunity  to 
examine  the  smaller  inhabitants  of  the  ocean,  but  such 
a  man  as  Toynbee  took  dredge  and  trawl  nets  to  sea 
with  him  and  preserved  and  classified  his  specimens 
aboard  his  ship  like  a  scientist  in  his  laboratory. 

The  wonders  of  the  deep  !  Such  men  as  these  Black- 
wall  captains  had  every  opportunity  of  studying  these 
wonders,  and  they  did  so  to  some  advantage.     In  fact 


112  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

they  knew  the  sea;  and  there  are  not  many  men  who 
earn  their  living  on  the  great  waters  who  can  say  the 
same  to-day.  How  many  seamen  are  there  alive  to-day 
who  have  seen  a  whale  harpooned  from  a  boat,  who  have 
watched  a  fight  between  whales,  swordfish  and  killers, 
or  who  have  seen  porpoises  migrating  in  lines  which 
stretch  from  horizon  to  horizon?  How  many  seamen 
have  seen  the  ice  blink,  or  the  white  water  or  the 
ripples  or  the  red  patches  or  the  fiery  sea? 

Not  only  were  all  these  wonders  experienced  but  they 
were  studied  scientifically  by  these  Blackwall  com- 
manders. As  for  weather,  they  were  professors  of  the 
weather.  Not  only  were  they  wise  to  every  doldrum 
squall,  every  sudden  shift  of  wind  and  changing  current, 
but  they  were  expert  cyclone  dodgers. 

Discipline. 

Smart  discipline  is  the  first  sign  of  all  round 
efficiency,  and  this  fact  was  thoroughly  recognised  by 
the  old  Blackwall  captains,  who  not  only  upheld  their 
own  dignity  but  insisted  on  such  strict  discipline 
throughout  their  ships  as  was  worthy  of  the  Kuyal 
Navy. 

The  side  was  always  manned  when  the  commander 
of  a  Blackwaller  came  aboard.  The  midshipman  on 
the  bell  was  never  permitted  to  leave  the  lee  side  of  the 
poop.  All  orders  were  carried  out  to  the  tune  of  the 
bosun's  whistle  and  even  chanties  were  not  allowed  by 
certain  martinets.  The  crew  had  their  regular  stations 
and  regular  sail  drill  so  that  whether  the  flying  jib  or 
the  spanker,  a  royal  or  a  staysail  had  to  be  handed, 
there  was  no  confusion.  Every  man  knew  his  job  and 
jumped  to  it. 

The  India  ships  kept  up  this  semi-naval  discipline 


CAPTAIN  E.  LE  POER  TRENCH,  OF  THE  "  NEWCASTLE." 


CAPTAIN   TAYLOR,  OF  THE   "ALNWICK  CASTLE." 

[To  face  Page  112. 


MIDSHIPMEN  113 

to  the  end,  but  the  Australian  ships  were  rarely  as 
strict,  this  of  course  depending  a  great  deal  upon 
their  commanders.  These  autocrats  were  also  quickly 
down  upon  the  slightest  lapse  from  "genteel"  behaviour 
on  the  part  of  their  passengers.  Here  again  Australian 
ships  were  generally  more  easy-going  than  Indian  ships. 
In  one  of  my  old  Australian  ship  newspapers  there  is 
a  very  indignant  letter  complaining  of  the  indecent 
behaviour  of  some  of  the  passengers,  who,  in  the  hut 
weather  of  the  line,  had  dared  to  take  off  their  coats,  and, 
horror  of  horrors  !  had  even  removed  their  stocks. 
The  writer  declared  that  "such  gross  indecorum" 
would  never  have  been  permitted  on  an  India  ship. 
Needless  to  say  that  the  captain  of  a  Blackwaller  was 
never  seen  off  his  poop,  and  even  in  the  Bay  of  Ben*,ral 
wore  his  starched  stock  and  tight  buttoned  uniform 
frock-coat. 

Midshipmen. 

The  Blackwall  frigates  differed  from  other 
British  sailing  ships  in  tliat  they  carried  midshipmen 
and  not  apprentices. 

It  may  be  argued  that  this  is  only  a  difference  in 
terms,  but  as  a  matter  of  fact,  as  we  shall  see  later,  the 
two  were  quite  distinct;  indeed  certain  ships  were 
known  to  carry  both  midshipmen  and  apprentices. 

The  midshipmen  were  drawn  from  the  same  class  as 
those  in  the  Royal  Navy  and  paid  a  premium  of  £60  a 
voyage,  whereas,  where  apprentices  were  required  to  pay 
a  premium,  it  was  never  anything  like  so  much.  To 
enter  sea  life  as  a  midshipman  in  a  Blackwaller  was 
considered  a  very  fine  opening  for  a  boy  in  the  mid- 
Victorian  era.  Guardians  of  orphans,  especially,  were 
fond  of  disposing  of  their  wards  in  this  way,  for  they 


114  THE  BLACKWALL  FRICxATES 

were  well  satisfied  with  the  prospects  before  a  boy  who 
learnt  his  trade  in  such  well  run  ships  and  knew  at  the 
back  of  their  minds  as  well  that  he  would  prove  less 
troublesome  than  if  they  had  to  educate  him  at  a  Public 
School  and  then  find  a  land  profession  or  business  for  him. 
These  midshipmen  were  called  "the  young  gentlemen" 
and  they  were  treated  as  such,  and  knew  very  little  of  the 
drudgery,  the  hardship  and  the  want  of  food  and  sleep 
undergone  by  the  apprentice  in  other  sailing  ships.  In 
fact,  they  had  quite  as  good  and  happy  a  time  as  their 
contemporaries  in  the  Royal  Navy  ;  and  when  it  came 
to  skylarking,  monkey-like  mischief  and  practical 
joking  they  were  quite  the  equals  of  Marryat's  Peter 
Simple  or  Midshipman  Easy.  That  it  was  the  happiest 
time  in  their  sea  life  many  of  them  have  freely  acknow- 
ledged in  their  later  days;  and  what  would  not  the 
modern  apprentice  give  to  be  able  to  start  his  sea-going 
under  such  conditions. 

Besides  the  premium  the  parents  and  guardians  of 
these  Blackwall  midshipmen  had  to  provide  a  few  pounds 
of  pocket  and  mess  money  and  of  course  the  usual  sea 
outfit  with  its  badge  cap  and  brass-bound  uniform, 
which  has  caused  so  many  a  boy  to  fancy  himself 
beyond  all  reason. 

In  the  early  days  Green  &  Wigram's  officers  were 
allowed  to  wear  the  lion  and  crown  of  the  old  E.I. Co., 
but  this  gave  place  eventually  to  the  house-flags  of  the 
companies  themselves. 

Boys,  like  women,  are  the  slaves  of  fashion.  And  not 
only  did  they  have  a  strict  etiquette  regarding  dress, 
which  it  was  criminal  to  offend,  but  each  ship  had  its 
own  particular  customs.  Thus  a  "mid"  on  some 
strictly  disciplined  ships  had  to  wear  his  cap  straight 
and  so  it  grew  to  be  the  proper  thing  to  do;   whilst  in 


MIDSHIPMEN  115 

other  ships  the  young  gentleman  like  our  friend  the 
apprentice  would  wear  his  cap  on  its  beam  ends  if  he 
did  not  wish  to  be  accused  of  putting  on  side. 

His  buttons  on  some  ships  had  to  shine  like  stars, 
but  on  others  it  was  the  thing  to  have  them  green  with 
verdigris.  Again  on  some  ships  he  must  be  barefooted, 
whether  the  pitch  in  the  seams  was  bubbling  or  a  cold 
nor'easter  blowing,  whilst  on  others  such  a  sight  as 
barefeet  was  an  offence  against  mid -Victorian 
"gentility." 

But  whether  "mid"  or  apprentice,  the  base  of  the 
nature  of  every  sea  boy  has  always  been  the  same. 
He  had  an  imp's  passion  for  mischief:  of  practical 
joking  he  was  never  tired;  and  if  he  could  escape  an 
unpleasant  duty  by  any  possible  ingenuity  he  never 
failed  to  try  to  do  so.  He  had  a  peculiar  code  of 
honour  which  made  stealing  from  a  shipmate  a  deadly 
offence  but  stealing  from  the  ship  a  merit. 

He  took  a  pride  in  doing  his  work  well  yet  looked 
down  upon  any  companion  who  openly  took  pains  to 
learn  it.  The  boy  who  had  been  a  voyage  or  two  and 
yet  was  a  poor  seaman  was  held  in  contempt  by  his 
mates,  yet  he  had  to  pick  up  his  knoAvledge  by  round- 
about methods,  by  any  way  rather  than  the  straight- 
forward one  of  working  at  it. 

And  the  boy  who  was  slow  aloft  was  the  object  of 
ridicule  and  abuse,  though  the  boy  who  could  be  quick 
enough  if  he  chose  and  yet  malingered  in  order  to 
exasperate  his  officers  was  considered  a  stout  fellow. 

Yet  withal  every  midshipman  possessed  such  a  keen 
pride  in  his  own  ship  that  he  would  rather  suffer  death 
than  tliat  she  should  be  disgraced. 

And  now  let  us  look  at  the  duties  required  by  these 
high-spirited  Blackwall  midshipmen.     Firstly,  all  the 


116  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

working  of  the  mizen  mast  was  considered  theirs. 
That  mast,  next  to  the  ship  itself,  was  their  chief  pride, 
and  greatly  did  they  feel  the  disgrace  if  during  a  storm 
or  sudden  squall  they  could  not  reef  or  furl  without  the 
aid  of  anv  foremast  hands.  However  "the  young 
gentlemen''  were  excused  from  greasing  and  tarring 
down,  which  was  done  by  ordinary  seamen. 

A  boy  in  the  Hotspur  under  Toynbee  had  little  excuse 
for  not  turning  out  a  scientific  and  clever  navigator. 
Every  morning  at  10  some  of  his  "mids"  had  to  attend  in 
the  cuddy  for  navigation  lessons,  whilst  at  the  same  time 
his  bosun  on  the  main  deck  held  classes  in  knotting, 
splicing,  using  a  palm  and  needle,  etc.  And  the  boy 
who  learnt  his  marlinspike  seamanship  under  a  Black- 
wall  rigger  was  lucky  indeed. 

"We  were  put  in  three  watches,"  writes  the  late 
Captain  Whall,  "like  the  officers;  thus  we  had  four 
hours  on  deck,  then  eight  below,  which  gave  us  sufficient 
sleep.  We  kept  our  watch  on  the  poop  in  uniform, 
being  treated  as  junior  officers."  Every  day  one  of 
Toynbee's  midshipmen  had  the  honour  of  dining  at  his 
captain's  table;  and  here  one  can  see  how  more  nearly 
allied  they  were  to  Marryat's  creations  than  to  the 
present  day  apprentice. 

In  their  sleeping  quarters  they  also  were  more  akin 
to  the  Navy  "mid,"  for  they  berthed  on  the  lower 
deck  in  semi-darkness.  They  slept  in  hammocks  and 
each  "mid"  had  his  hammockman,  whose  only  pay 
very  often  was  an  occasional  glass  of  grog,  for  these 
lucky  young  gentlemen  were  even  allowed  their  wine. 
When  the  spirits  were  issued  at  dinner  time  for  the 
officers'  mess,  a  wineglassful  was  the  share  of  each 
midshipman.  There  was  also  a  midshipmen 's  steward, 
commonly  called  "the  midshipmen's  devil." 


MIDSHIPMEN  117 

These  lads  soon  found  themselves  in  places  of  respon- 
sibility. Each  of  the  boats  was  placed  in  charge  of  a 
"mid, "who  was  responsible  for  its  condition  and  for 
its  readiness  in  case  of  emergency.  Then,  too,  the 
midshipman  of  the  watch  always  called  over  the  names, 
and  reported  to  the  officer  of  the  watch.  "Watch  all 
on  deck,  sir:  so-and-so  sick:  so  and  so  first  look-out: 
wheel  relieved."  The  senior  midshipmen  did  duty  as 
foc's'le  officer,  the  remainder,  as  I  have  said,  being 
responsible  for  the  mizen  mast  except  for  greasing, 
scraping  and  blacking  down. 

They  had  to  see  that  the  dead-eyes  of  the  topmast 
rigging  were  turned  in  square:  and  the  topmast  and 
topgallant  rigging  kept  well  pulled  up;  gaskets  made 
up  snug  and  seized  in  at  equal  distances  along  the  yards 
and  in  fine  weather  cheesed  up  all  to  the  same  length : 
bunt-lines  overhauled  and  stopped  with  a  split  rope- 
yarn;  "Scotchmen"  seized  on  between  the  futtock 
shrouds  and  the  mizen  rigging,  on  topmost  backstay 
in  the  way  of  the  cross  jack  yard,  and  wherever  else  a 
chafe  might  occur.  They  had  to  make  paunch  and 
quarter  mats  for  the  yards,  and  make  sure  that  they 
were  laced  well  on  so  as  not  to  shift,  breeches  mat  on 
the  collar  of  mizen  stay,  and  point  all  new  ropes. 

Then  they  had  to  do  all  the  rattling  down,  cover  and 
graft  block  strops;  keep  services  and  roundings  in 
repair;  make  spare  gaskets,  etc.,  etc.  When  top- 
gallant stunsails  were  cleared  away  or  topmast  stunsails 
set  the  midshipmen  took  charge  of  the  tacks,  and  had 
the  easing  away  of  the  tacks  and  halliards  when  these 
sails  were  taken  in. 

Another  duty  given  to  midshipmen  was  that  of  going 
aloft  ten  minutes  before  sunrise  on  to  the  main  royal 
yard,  to  remain  there  until  the  sun  had  risen,  on  the 


118  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

look-out  for  any  sail,   that  being  the  time  when  the 
horizon  is  clearest  and  objects  more  easily  picked  up. 

Their  one  punishment  seems  to  have  been  the  huinane 
and  often  enjoyable  one  of  "mast-heading."  Their 
amusements  were  as  varied  as  those  of  Marry  at 's 
mischief-loving  shavers.  Where  the  present  day 
apprentices'  sole  relaxation  is  a  sing-song  in  the  dog 
watches,  these  privileged  "hard  bargains"  were  allowed 
to  take  part  in  concerts  and  theatricals.  And  when 
becalmed  in  the  tropics  they  were  allowed  to  put  a 
boat  over  the  side  and  bathe ;  then  there  were  the  usual 
deep  sea  fishing,  shark  catching,  dolphin  spearing  and 
that  exciting  sport  bonito  fishing  from  the  jibboom, 
such  sport  indeed  as  the  steamboat  hand  knows  not. 

In  place  of  the  usual  shark  hook  towing  astern, 
such  scientific  seamen  as  Captain  Toynbee  instituted  a 
wonderful  little  bag  which,  when  hauled  up,  generally 
contained  some  minute  wonder  of  the  sea  world.  This 
was  duly  examined  under  the  microscope  and  catalogued 
with  perhaps  the  ultimate  honour  of  being  described  in 
one  of  Toynbee 's  natural  history  papers  on  the  lower 
forms  of  ocean  life.  Collections  from  stamps  to  beetles 
are  always  a  large  factor  in  a  normal  boy's  life,  so  it 
can  well  be  imagined  how  popular  was  this  dredge-bag 
of  Toynbee 's. 

Then  there  were  the  usual  deck  sports  such  as  slinging 
the  monkey  and  cock-fighting.  Another  favourite  game 
was  a  "follow  my  leader"  chase  aloft,  which  generally 
led  to  such  dangerous  acrobatic  feats  as  running  along 
the  yards,  standing  on  one's  head  at  the  main  truck  and 
coming  down  from  the  royal  yard  to  the  deck  by  the 
leeches  of  the  sails. 

From  the  results  as  seen  by  the  success  of  these 
midshipmen  in  their  profession,  there  is  no  doubt  that 


T  ANOW  SMITH, 
(BLUE  CROSS  LINE.) 


JOSEPH   SOMES. 


DEVtTT  AND  MOORE . 


MIDSHIPMEN'S    PREMIUMS  119 

the  premiums  asked  by  the  Blackwall  firms  were  well 
worth    the    money.  Perhaps    I    should    give    these 

premiums  in  greater  detail  and  compare  them  with  those 
of  one  or  two  of  the  best  firms  taking  apprentices  at 
about  the  same  date. 

Dicky  Green's  "hard  bargains"  paid  £60  first  voyage; 
£50  second  voyage;  £40  third  voyage;  no  premium 
fourth  voyage  and  made  their  fifth  voyage  usually  as 
fifth  mate  at  £1  a  month. 

T.  &  W.  Smith  asked  £150  for  three  voyages  plus 
£10  mess  money.  Midshipmen  signed  no  indentures 
and  could  leave  at  the  end  of  a  voyage. 

The  caterer  of  the  midshipmen's  mess  generally  had 
about  £80  to  expend  per  voyage,  which  was  gathered  in 
subscriptions  from  the  middies  concerned.  Then  the 
parents  of  each  boy  usually  placed  £10  to  £15  in  the 
hands  of  the  captain  as  shore  money  in  India  or  Australia. 

As  an  example  of  the  best  run  cargo  carriers  of 
that  time,  I  will  take  the  little  City  ships  running  to 
Calcutta.  They  carried  six  apprentices  as  a  rule  as 
against  about  ten  midshipmen  in  the  Blackwallers. 
These  apprentices  were  paid  £2  first  year,  £4  second 
year,  £8  third  year  and  £12  fourth  year,  for  which 
their  parents  had  to  put  down  a  deposit  of  £26  as 
a  guarantee  that  they  would  serve  their  full  time, 
the  deposit  being  returned  with  full  interest  at  the 
completion  of  their  indentures. 

In  the  Aberdeen  White  Star  Line  there  was  no 
premium  and  no  pay. 

Both  classes,  midshipmen  and  apprentices,  turned 
out  fine  seamen,  though  the  middies  genera Uy  made  the 
better  uliicers  and  na\  iirutors. 


120  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Crews. 

The  crews  carried  by  the  Blackwall  frigates  both 
in  numbers  and  quality  far  surpassed  those  of  any 
other  British  merchant  ships,  they  were  in  fact  almost 
equal  to  those  in  the  corvettes  of  the  Royal  Navy. 
The  petty  officers  and  men  before  the  mast  were  always 
very  carefully  selected  by  the  mate,  aided  as  a  rule  by 
the  bosun,  and  then  submitted  to  the  captain  for  his 
approval.  Thus  there  was  seldom  a  man  aboard  a  Black- 
waller  who  was  not  an  expert  rigger,  a  practical  sail- 
maker,  a  neat  marlinspike  workman,  a  burly  sail-fister 
and  a  good  helmsman. 

When  we  consider  the  numbers  carried  by  these  little 
1000-ton  ships  we  cannot  but  feel  that  sometimes  the  mate 
must  have  had  a  difficulty  in  finding  work  for  them  all. 

As  late  as  1875  the  Newcastle  carried  4  mates, 
surgeon,  8  to  11  midshipmen,  bosun,  carpenter,  sail- 
maker,  donkey  man,  3  quartermasters,  4  fore  topmen, 
4  main  topmen,  6  forecastle  hands,  6  after-guard, 
4  ordinary  seamen,  4  boys,  chief  and  second  steward, 
about  7  other  stewards  (the  number  of  these  varied  with 
the  number  of  passengers),  2  cooks,  butcher  and  butcher's 
mate,  baker  and  baker's  mate. 

The  Trafalgar  carried  5  mates,  and  besides  the  usual 
petty  officers  a  ship's  fiddler  and  a  cooper.  The  cooper 
was  a  most  necessary  man  in  the  days  when  all  the 
ship's  water  was  carried  in  casks.  The  fiddler  vanished 
when  patent  windlasses  and  steam  donkeys  came  in  ; 
before  that  date  his  was  one  of  the  most  important  duties 
when  heaving  up  the  anchor.  This,  with  the  old- 
fashioned  endless  messenger,  was  a  long  job,  and  the 
fiddler  on  the  capstan  head  kept  the  life  in  the  men  on 
the  capstan  bars.  He  was  also  an  invaluable  aid  to 
dog-watch  sing-songs  and  ship's  concerts. 


THE   PASSENGERS  121 

The  old  station  lists  in  use  aboard  the  Blackwall 
frigates  are  of  interest  to  show  the  semi-naval  discipline. 
I  have  placed  a  set  in  the  Appendix. 

Passengers. 

The  crack  Blackwallers  only  made  one  voyage  a 
year  between  London  and  Calcutta,  generally  calling 
at  Madras  on  the  passage  out  and  at  Cape  Town  when 
homeward  bound.  There  was  ahvays  a  marked  differ- 
ence between  these  two  passages  with  regard  to 
passengers.  On  the  way  out  the  ships  were  alive  with 
joyous  young  people  such  as  the  "griffms"  (young 
civilians  going  out  to  start  a  career  in  the  Indian  Civil), 
the  subalterns  going  into  the  Indian  Army,  and  by  no 
means  least  the  debutantes,  on  their  way  to  the  conquest 
of  social  India. 

On  this  passage  concerts  and  theatricals  filled  the 
hours  of  the  tropic  nights;  amateur  astronomers  paired 
off  in  secluded  corners;  active  middies,  swinging  over 
the  ship's  quarter  at  the  end  of  a  brace  or  leech-line 
conducted  whispered  serenades  before  certain  portholes. 
The  commander  in  his  best  uniform  coat  took  his  con- 
stitutional with  a  girl  on  each  arm;  and  the  mates 
conducted  carefully  selected  parties  of  one  to  the 
jibboom  end  for  the  sole  object  of  showing  off  the  ship 
from  a  point  where  it  could  be  seen  to  the  best  advantage. 

And  when  the  Blackwaller  finally  brought  up  off  the 
Esplanade  moorings,  what  a  number  of  wet  eyes  and 
flushed  cheeks  !  and  what  passionate  speeches  !  No 
one  cared  how  long  the  outward  passage  took  except  the 
captain.  It  was  very  different  on  the  homeward. 
Then  the  'tween  decks  were  filled  with  invalid  troops; 
too  often  the  tolling  bell  and  backed  topsail  drew 
attention  to  a  grating  at  the  gangway,  on  which  lay 
something  covered  by  the  Union  Jack. 


122  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Pale-faced  women  and  tired,  haggard  men  wandered 
listlessly  about  the  decks — women  torn  in  two  between 
their  husbands  in  India  and  their  children  at  home, 
men  with  broken  health  spent  in  their  country's 
service,  some  of  them  leaving  the  government  of 
millions  for  a  dull  little  house  at  either  Tunbridge 
Wells  or  Southsea;  others  leaving  the  stir  of  frontier 
campaigning  for  a  smoking-room  chair  at  the  "Rag.  " 

Then  instead  of  dances  and  theatricals,  chessboards 
and  whist  tables  were  the  fashion,  where  peppery,  red- 
faced  colonels  contended  with  yellow-cheeked,  imperious 
nabobs,  whisky  pegs  at  their  elbows  and  silent-footed 
khitmagars  hovering  behind  their  backs.  Then 
lean,  hard-bitten  squadron  leaders  played  shovel  board 
and  told  each  other  of  wonderful  games  of  polo,  of 
record  days  pig-sticking  and  of  all  the  slaughter  they 
had  made  of  tiger,  sambur,  bear  and  buck,  of  duck  and 
quail,  partridge  and  snipe  ;  whilst  the  women  discussed 
hill  stations  or  the  merits  of  native  servants.  There 
were  generally  some  children  also  going  home  under 
the  care  of  the  captain  and  their  boisterous  spirits 
not  only  upset  card  tables  and  deck  chairs  but  the 
irritable  tempers  of  brigadier-generals  and  judges  and 
native  commissioners. 

This  was  the  passage  when  the  commander  had  to 
listen  to  the  eternal  criticism  of  "Things  weren't  done 

like  this  on  the ,  last  time  I  came  home.  "     Angry 

fretful  voices  rang  through  the  homc^vard -bound  ship 
complaining  of  lack  of  air  in  the  cuddy  or  of  too  nmch 
air  in  the  cuddy;  of  the  stamping  overhead  when  the 
watch  freshened  the  nip  or  of  water  splashing  through 
portholes  when  decks  were  being  washed  down. 

The  homeward  passage,  however,  was  sometimes 
enlivened  by  troops,  and  this  was  specially  the  case  when 


SHIP   RACES  123 

two  ships  left  about  the  same  time,  each  with  a  half  of 
the  same  regiment  on  board.  Then,  indeed,  the  little 
Blackwallcrs  resembled  racing  tea  clippers,  and  the 
interest  and  betting  as  to  which  half  of  the  regiment 
would  arrive  home  first  being  at  fever  heat  from  the 
Bay  of  Bengal  right  to  the  Channel. 

Ship  Races. 

The  late  Captain  Whall  tells  some  good  stories  of 
these  races. 

In  1867  the  Winchester  and  the  Si.  Lawrence  left 
Calcutta  homeward  bound,  the  former  with  the  right 
wing  and  the  latter  with  the  left  wing  of  the  98th  on 
board.  The  two  ships  did  not  meet  until  close  to  St. 
Helena,  when  the  .S'^  Lawrence  sighted  the  Winchester 
ahead  and,  sloAvly  overhauling  her,  presently  passed 
close  by  her,  both  ships  being  extremely  busy  with  their 
signal  halliards. 

Here  let  me  quote  Captain  Whall. 

As  we  drew  ahead  we  began  to  chaff,  using  the  vocabulary  we  hoisted 
bit  by  bit. 

"  How — do — you — like — the — look — of — our — stern  ?  " 

Winchester  immediately  began  her  reply. 

"  Very — like — a — " 

What  on  earth  are  they  going  to  say? 

Up  went  the  flags. 

•'  L  A  U  N  D  R  Y." 

For  a  moment  we  were  nonplussed.  Then  the  chief  officer  climbed 
over  the  taffrail  and  looked  down.  The  puzzle  was  solved  :  the  stern- 
cabiners  had  been  having  a  private  washing  day,  and  their  windows 
were  decorated  with  several  indispensable  articles  of  feminine  attire  1 
Our  triumph  was  marred. 

Both  ships  intended  stopping  at  St.  Helena,  and 
the  St.  Lawrence  managed  to  make  Jamestown  anchorage 
12  hours  ahead  of  her  rival.  The  Winchester,  however, 
hurried  her  stay  and  got  away  from  St.  Helena  15  hours 
before  the  Si.  Lawrence. 


124  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Ten  days  later  the  two  ships  met  again  and  eventually 
reached  Spithead  almost  togetlier. 

The  entries  in  St.  Lawrence's  log  are  as  follows. 

Jan  18  1867.— Hauled  out  and  dropped  down  to  Garden  Reach. 
21  —Dropped  pilot,  made  sail  to  a  light  S.W.ly  breeze. 

March  11.-24°  5'  S..  3°  U'  E.  Distance  237  miles.  Fresh  breeze 
and  fine      1  p.m..  Winchester  in  sight  on  starboard  bow. 

March  12.— Distance  214  miles.  Winchester  spoken,  reported  losmg 
nine  children  from  measles.     P.M..   Winchester  astern. 

March  13.— Distance  209  miles.     Squally.     Winchester  half  courses 

down  astern. 

March  14.— Came  to  anchor  off  Jamestown.  St.  Helena. 

15  __8  a.m.,  Winchester  anchored.       10  p.m..  Winchester  left. 
16.— Shortened  to  45  fathoms.     1  p.m.,  hove  up  and  proceeded 
to  sea.'  Made  all  plain  sail  and  all  stunsails.  both  sides  at  the  main. 

March  28. T  47'N.,  22°  15'W.  Distance  21  miles.   Calm,  constantly 

trimming  Li\  to  catspaws.     Three  sail  in  sight,  one  of  them  Winchester. 
Signalled  British  ship  Talevera  from  Calcutta  to  London,  72  days  out. 
''March  29.— Distance    29    miles.     Light  variable    airs,   Talevera  oa 
starboard  quarter.     Winchester  right  astern. 

Captain  Whall  gives  another  interesting  account  of 
a  race  between  the  Hotspur,  with  troops  on  board,  and 
the  Adelaide  clipper  Murray.  The  two  ships  mot  in 
Table  Bay  and  fraternised,  and,  as  naturally  happened, 
many  bets  were  wagered  as  to  which  ship  should  get 
home  first.  The  two  ships  left  Capetown  together, 
and  amidst  tremendous  excitement  made  sail  against 
each  other,  stunsail  for  stunsail  as  they  felt  the  trade. 
For  the  next  eleven  days  they  remained  in  sight  of  each 
other,  and  so  nearly  matched  in  sailing  were  they  that 
for  hours  their  bearings  never  altered,  the  trade  blowing 
very  steady. 

But  the  Hotspur  always  gained  during  the  night;  no 
one  could  say  what  was  the  reason  for  this,  until  at  last  it 
was  suggested  that  the  difference  in  sailing  at  night  was 
due  to  the  troops  being  in  their  hammocks.  The 
commanding  officer  was  consulted  and  the  troops  offered 


SHIP  RACES  125 

an  extra  pint  of  beer  if  they  would  go  to  bed  for  an  hour 
or  two.  The  troops  were  only  too  willing,  the  ham- 
mocks were  piped  down  and  the  men  turned  in.  At 
once  the  Hotspur  began  to  gain,  surely  but  very  slowly, 
as  shown  by  the  azimuth  compass.  Directly  this 
experiment  was  proved  a  success  the  hammocks  were 
piped  down  every  afternoon  for  an  hour  or  two:  and 
Captain  Whall  remarks: — 

I  never  heard  of  a  similar  method  of  winning  a  race;  but  there's 
something  in  it  when  you  come  to  think  of  it.  Our  500  odd  troops 
would  weigh,  say,  35  tons,  and  it  is  possible  that  such  a  weight,  swinging 
steadily  to  the  roll  of  the  ship  would  make  a  difiference  to  her;  more 
especially  as,  otherwise,  they  would  be  distributed  about  the  decks 
and  all  on  the  move.  If  you  are  a  boat  sailor  you  will  knew  how 
important  it  is,  particularly  in  light  winds,  to  sit  still. 

With  the  aid  of  the  troops.  Hots-pur  at  length  dropped 
the  Murray  behind  the  horizon  a.stern.  But  in  26°  N. 
the  two  ships  met  again,  in  squally  weather,  the  wind 
easterly  and  the  log  slate  showing  12  knots  at  times. 

This  time  they  were  together  for  six  days ;  then  once 
more  the  Hotspur  managed  to  get  away  from  the  Murray, 
and  she  made  the  Channel  about  24  hours  ahead. 

Sir  William  Butler  records  another  exciting  troop- 
ship race  in  his  autobiography. 

In  February,  1864,  the  Trafalgar  and  Lord  Warden 
embarked  the  69th  Regiment  at  Madras.  Trafalgar, 
with  the  right  wing  on  board,  sailed  on  the  10th,  the 
Lord  Warden,  with  the  left  wing,  ten  days  later.  Both 
ships  were  bound  for  Plymouth,  calling  at  St.  Helena. 
General  Butler  was  on  board  the  Lord  Warden.  This 
ship  published  the  usual  shipboard  newspaper,  which 
was  called  the  Homeward  Bound.  From  this  journal 
we  find  that  on  the  first  fortnight  at  sea  the  Lord  Warden 
averaged  80  miles  a  day,  on  the  second  124  miles  and  on 
the  third  184.  miles.       On  the  run  down  to  St.  Helena 


126  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

she  averaged  212  miles  a  day.  The  Lord  Warden 
arrived  at  Jamestown  on  15th  April,  and  found  a 
number  of  American  whalers  in  the  anchorage,  hiding 
from  the  Alabama. 

Butler  relates  how  he  visited  one  of  these  South 
seamen.  She  was  three  months  out  from  Maine,  her 
captain  and  crew  both  in  looks  and  clothes  resembled  so 
many  Robinson  Crusoes,  all  wearing  long  beards.  It 
was  early  morning  and  her  skipper  insisted  on  Butler 
having  breakfast  with  him.  This  consisted  of  a  "black 
bottle  of  terrible  spirit"  and  a  plate  of  hard  tack  biscuits 
on  a  table  which  had  been  "  lubricated  with  blubber.  " 

The  Lord  Warden  found  that  the  Trafalgar  had 
gained  a  week  on  them,  having  left  St.  Helena  seven- 
teen days  before.  But  the  Lord  Warden  made  a  good 
run  home,  and  on  the  21st  May  anchored  at  Plymouth, 
90  days  out  from  Madras.  An  hour  later  a  full-rig  ship 
was  sighted  hull  down  beyond  the  Eddystone.  The 
captain  of  the  Lord  Warden,  who  had  only  one  eye,  but 
that,  like  Nelson's,  a  good  one,  laid  his  glass  upon  the 
distant  vessel  and  pronounced  her  to  be  the  Trafalgar. 
And  so  it  was.  And  on  the  22nd  May  the  two  ships 
sailed  in  company  up  the  Channel  to  Portsmouth  before 
a  delightful  westerly  breeze. 

The  times  of  the  two  ships  to  Plymouth  were  as 
follows : — 

Left.  Trafalgar  Lord  Warden 

Madras  10th  February  20th  February 

St.  Helena  29th  March,  47  days  out  15th  April.  54  days  out 

Plymouth  21st  May.  100  days  out  21st  May,  90  days  out 

The  Lord  Warden'' s  best  24-hour  run  was  320  miles 
between  the  Azores  and  the  Lizard. 

Amongst  troops  there  were  generally  from  70  to  80 
invalids,  wrecks  due  to  the  Indian  climate.  For  these 
invalids  the  "chops  of  the  Channel"   held    a  sinister 


CALCUTTA   SHIPPING  127 

meaning,  for  it  was  a  well-known  experience  that  many 
of  them  died  as  soon  as  they  reached  soundings. 

Calcutta  and  its  Shipping. 

At  Calcutta  the  proud  Blackwallers  moored  in 
tiers,  two  ships  abreast,  on  the  Esplanade  moorings 
opposite  the  "Course,"  where,  in  the  evening,  many  a 
smart  turnout  was  to  be  seen  driving  up  and  down  or 
pulled  up  listening  to  the  band  at  the  Eden  Gardens. 

This  driving  was  much  favoured  by  the  old  East 
India  captains.  Many  of  them  drove  their  own  turn- 
outs and  there  was  plenty  of  chaff  as  they  dashed  by 
each  other,  for  a  sailor  always  likes  speed  and  mettle- 
some horses.  Indeed,  on  occasions  the  horses  were 
almost  too  much  for  the  skippers — then  you  would  hear 
such  comments  as  these,  sung  out  in  reef-topsail 
voices : — 

"Peppercorn's  carrying  sail  to-night,  time  he  clewed 
up  some  of  his  kites;"  or  "Old  Thompson's  making 
heavy  weather  of  it." 

And  often  the  indifferent  coachmen  were  greeted  by 
cheery  shouts  of  "Port  your  helm,  mate  !"  or  "Heave 
round  in  stays  or  you'll  be  into  us.  " 

Toynbee  and  his  popular  wife  drove  in  some  state 
with  one  of  his  mids  seated  on  the  front  seat  like  a 
diminutive  aide-de-camp. 

Meanwhile  the  ships  were  unloading.  A  strip  of  mud 
separated  them  from  the  shore  at  low  water.  This  was 
sometimes  bridged  by  planks,  but  often  the  only  way  of 
getting  ashore  was  on  the  back  of  one's  dinghy  wallah. 
The  ship's  name  and  house-flag  were  painted  on  a  board 
and  set  up  at  the  landing.      This  told  the  inquirer  where 

she  lay. 

The  Blackwallers  discharged  to  the  tune  of  a  fiddle, 


128  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

their  own  crews  working  the  tackle  and  slings  which 
hoisted  the  cargo  into  the  lighters  alongside.  The 
mids  did  the  tallying.  But  when  the  time  came  for 
loading,  it  was  done  by  coolies,  the  ship's  company 
being  busy  painting  and  smartening  up  for  the  home- 
ward passage. 

And  before  their  passengers  came  aboard  these  crack 
Indiamen  were  spick  and  span  as  men-of-war  from  the 
swallow-tail  whip  at  the  main  truck  to  the  well  holy- 
stoned troop  deck,  from  the  shark's  tail  on  the  jibboom 
end  to  the  gilt  and  gingerbread  round  the  stern  windows. 
Awnings  were  stretched  fore  and  aft,  and  a  man 
stood  on  duty  at  the  gangway. 

The  P.  &  O.  steamers  lay  at  Garden  Reach,  and  the 
Liverpool  ships,  Brocklebanks  and  the  Glasgow  "Cities" 
at  Prinseps  Ghaut. 

The  Calcutta  River  was  also  choked  with  other  craft, 
"country  wallalis,"  most  of  them,  in  which  service 
many  a  proud  Indiaman  passed  her  declining  years.  Of 
such  was  the  Earl  of  Clare,  built  for  the  H.E.I.C.  in 
1768;  and  96  years  of  age  when  the  1864  cyclone  shrieked 
the  death  song  through  her  rigging.  Then  there  were 
a  few  tough  Yankees,  many  of  them  with  "Wenham 
Lake  ice"  from  Boston,  the  most  inflammable  cargo 
there  is.  This  sounds  a  strange  statement  to  a  lands- 
man, but  ice  sets  up  gases  below,  the  sawdust  in  which 
it  is  packed  catches  fire  as  easily  as  cotton  or  jute,  and 
there  is  an  end  of  the  ice  ship. 

The  old  time  Yankee  mate  was  a  tough  individual,  and 
in  Calcutta  they  took  a  pride  in  the  swiftness  with  which 
they  got  rid  of  their  outward  bound  crews  by  the 
system  of  hazing,  known  to  seafarers  as  "running  a 
crew  out  of  a  ship." 

Captain  Whall,  when  a  mid  in  the  Hotspur,  witnessed 


THE  ESPLANADE  MOORINGS,  CALCUTTA. 


[To  face  Page  128. 


1 


HAZING  129 

this  operation  carried  out  by  a  Yankee  mate  who  was 
an  artist  at  the  game,  and  he  thus  describes  it: — 

On  one  occasion  a  fine  Boston  packet  lay  outside  us,  ttie  mate  of 
which  was  a  genius  :  this  fellow  took  most  refined  methods  to  drive  his 
crew  away.  They  were  Scandinavians,  who  are  naturally  a  meek  and 
mild  race.  He  hazed  these  poor  devils  around  until  they  were  almost 
crazy  but  they  hung  on  well.  At  last  he  hit  on  a  grotesque  refinement 
of  cruelty  which  had  the  effect  he  wanted. 

One  morning,  at  sunrise,  whilst  we  were  washing  decks,  we  heard 
this  character  howl  out: — 

"  Naow  !    Up  thar  !    Crow  !    And  crow  lively  or  I'll  let  fly  at  ye." 

There  stood  mister  mate  on  the  roof  of  the  deckhouse,  revolver  in 
hand,  looking  aloft.  Following  his  gaze  we  beheld,  perched  on  the 
main  royal  yard,  six  of  these  unhappy  beings  ;  and,  as  we  looked,  there 
came  down  to  us  the  faint  strains  of  "  cock-a-doodle."  He  had 
actually  made  them  chmb  aloft  and  crow  like  roosters  when  they  saw 
the  sun  rise.  This  sufficed.  The  next  day  they  were  missing  and 
safe  ashore  in  the  hands  of  the  crimps. 

No  story  that  I  know  of  so  perfectly  illustrates  the 
power  of  ridicule,  unless  it  is  the  Virginian's  fooling 
of  his  rebellious  cowboys  by  his  frog  story  in  Owen 
Wister's  masterpiece. 

Madras. 

Next  to  Calcutta,  Madras  was  the  chief  port  of 
entry  to  India  in  the  days  of  the  Blackwall  frigates, for 
Bombay  owes  its  importance  as  a  port  to  the  Suez 
Canal. 

Madras  Roads  have  been  the  scene  of  many  stirring 
events  in  our  naval  and  mercantile  history,  the  last 
of  which  was  the  bombardment  by  the  Emden.  The 
Black  wallers  lay  about  3  miles  out,  and  the  connecting 
links  with  the  shore  were  the  catamarans  and  the 
massullah  boats.  The  catamarans  are  simply  rafts  of 
three  logs  lashed  together,  their  bow  ends  being  bent  in 
and  slightly  turned  up.  The  massullah  boats  had 
their  planks  sewn  together  with  cocoanut  fibre  and  were 


130  THE  T^LACKWALL  FRIGATES 

pulled  by  oars  with  blades  as  circular  as  gramoplione 
records.  They  are  splendid  surf  boats  as  they  need  to 
be,  and  their  crews  are  past  masters  at  surf  work,  the 
only  time  when  a  capsize  in  the  surf  is  at  all  likely  being 
when  there  is  some  difference  over  the  fare. 

A  spring  on  the  cable  was  very  necessary  in  Madras 
Roads,  there  being  generally  a  swell  tumbling  in  from 
seaward.  During  the  cyclone  months — in  fact,  at  the 
first  sign  of  bad  weather — all  sailing  ships  put  hastily 
to  sea;  and  the  bottom  being  stiff  mud,  anchors  were 
not  always  easy  to  get;  indeed,  there  must  be  a  great 
number  of  anchors  of  all  sorts,  from  the  old  wooden 
stocked  with  their  great  rings  for  hemp  cal)les  to  the 
modern  creepers,  lying  at  the  bottom  in  Madras  Roads. 

The  Blackwall  frigates  in  the  Indian  trade  rarely  used 
any  other  ports  besides  Calcutta  and  Madras,  calling 
in  generally  at  Cape  Town  and  St.  Helena  on  the  way 
home. 

The  Australian  Boom. 

The  discovery  of  gold  in  Australia  had  its  effect 
upon  the  Blackwall  frigates  just  as  it  had  on  every  otlier 
class  of  ship.  The  demand  for  passenger  ships  for 
Australia  had  by  1853  far  outstripped  the  supply. 

In  London  ships  were  specially  wanted  for  first 
and  second  class  passengers  rather  than  for  emigrants, 
and  the  only  British  ships  which  were  fitted  for  such 
passengers  were  the  famous  Blackwall  frigates. 

The  Greens,  with  their  large  fleet,  had  no  difficulty 
in  diverting  some  of  their  ships  from  the  Calcutta  run 
to  the  Australian,  but  Money  Wigram  was  not  a  large 
shipowner  when  gold  was  discovered  in  Australia,  and 
he  immediately  set  about  building  ships  specially  for 
the   Melbourne  trade — the  first   of  these,    the  famous 


GOLD   IN   AUSTRALIA  131 

little  Kent,  being  one  of  the  fastest  of  all  tKe  Blackwall 
frigates. 

Duncan  Dunbar,  also,  turned  his  attention  to  the 
gold  rush,  and  the  ill-fated  Dunbar  was  the  first  of  his 
Australian  passenger  ships ;  she  was  launched  the  year 
after  the  Kent,  and  was  one  of  Laing  of  Sunderland's 
finest  efforts. 

With  Green  shortening  his  East  Indian  sailing  list, 
and  Money  Wigram  turning  entirely  to  Australia, 
T.  &  W.  Smith  found  themselves  in  the  first  place  at 
Calcutta  and  Madras,  for  they  were  never  tempted  to 
leave  their  first  love.  This,  in  some  respects,  was 
their  misfortune,  for  when  the  Suez  Canal  opened  they 
found  their  beautiful  little  frigates  cut  out  by  the 
steamers,  and  no  longer  fitted  to  contend  against  the 
many  new  and  up-to-date  clippers  which  had  been 
built  specially  for  the  booming  Australian  trade.  They 
thereupon  sold  their  sailing  fleet  and  adventured  into 
the  ranks  of  the  early  steamship  companies. 

The  Design  of  the  Blackwall  Frigates. 

In  design  the  Blackwall  frigates  would  appear 
very  bluff-bowed  and  apple-cheeked  to  our  modern 
eyes.  Their  shape,  indeed,  has  been  compared  by 
those  who  knew  them  well  to  that  of  a  serving  mallet. 
But  the  tumble-home,  which  was  so  pronounced  in  the 
earlier  ships,  gradually  became  modified,  though  even 
the  last  of  them  could  never  have  been  called  wall-sided. 
Midship  sections  were  full  with  little  deadrise.  In 
the  mid-Victorian  era  only  the  most  extreme  of  the 
American  and  Scottish  tea  clippers  had  any  deadrise, 
and  these  extreme  ships  were  not  always  the  fastest, 
I  have  the  actual  rough  pencil  draft  of  the  lines  of 
the   epoch-making  American  tea   clipper   Oriental,   as 


132  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

they  were  taken  off  when  she  was  in  the  dry  dock  at 

Blackwall. 

As  is  known  to  a  few,  Greens  built  the  Challenger 
with  the  help  of  these  lines— and  the  first  point  to  be 
noticed  in  both  the  lines  of  the  Oriental  and  the  Chal- 
lenger, which  I  also  possess,  are  the  fullness  of  their 
midship  sections.  I  may  say  that  in  other  ways  the 
resemblance  between  the  two  ships  is  unmistakable. 

The  early  Blackwallers  had  the  heavy  stern  frames, 
massive  quarter  galleries,  much  carved  balconies  and 
stern  windows  of  the  old  East  Indiamen.  The  first 
design  to  depart  from  the  double  stern  and  galleries  was 
that  of  the  old  Seringapatam.  She  was  always 
considered  the  first  of  a  new  class,  and  a  great  advance 
both  in  size  and  design  on  all  her  predecessors. 

None  of  the  Blackwallers  had  any  sheer,  but  they  were 
too  bluff  in  the  bows  above  water  to  dish  up  much 
heavy  water  over  the  fo'c'sle-head.  The  poops  were 
long,  the  main  decks,  to  our  ideas,  very  short  and  much 
encumbered  with  the  longboat,  pig-pens,  cow-stalls, 
hen-coops,  first  and  second  class  galleys,  etc.,  etc. 
The  large  modern  midship  house,  which  ousted  the  long- 
boat from  its  traditional  place,  was  originally  intended 
and  used  for  the  second  class  cabin. 

The  wheel  of  these  little  frigates  was  forward  of  the 
mizen  mast,  and  the  tiller  was  on  the  lower  deck,  as  it 
had  been  since  the  days  of  the  Tudors.  They  were 
beautifully  built  of  the  finest  hard  woods  in  the  world, 
English  oak  and  Malabar  teak.  You  could  not  wear 
them  out  and  you  could  hardly  strain  them,  however 
much  you  drove  them  into  a  head  sea;  whilst  all  deck 
and  cabin  fittings  showed  the  same  fine  workmanship 
as  the  old  furniture  which  we  rush  after  so  eagerly  ni  j 

these  days  of  shocidy  and  gimcrack,  J 


BLACKWALL   SAIL   PLANS  133 

Sail  and  Rigging  Plans. 

A  glance  at  one  of  the  illustrations  shows  the 
Blackwall  sail  plan  with  its  high  steeved  bowsprit, 
long  willowy  jibbooms,  huge  man-killing  jib,  large 
spanker,  single  topsails  and  bare  crossjack  yard. 

The  Blackwallers  were  very  short  in  length,  and  con- 
sequently their  masts  especially,  the  main  and  mizen, 
were  very  close  together,  so  that  a  crossjack  could 
never  be  got  to  stand.  The  rigging  was  hemp,  though 
the  country-built  ships  were  recognisable  by  the 
amount  of  coir  used  aloft.  A  good  deal  of  real  sea- 
manship disappeared  when  wire  replaced  hemp  for 
standing  rigging.  In  the  days  of  the  Indiaman  and 
the  Blackwall  frigate  never  a  watch  passed  without 
some  shroud  or  stay  requiring  setting  up,  and  the  handy 
billy  was  never  idle  for  long.  The  tops  were  large,  and 
the  topmen  spent  their  watches  aloft.  The  spar  plans 
were  still  narrow,  and  so  stunsails  were  of  the  greatest 
importance  and  were  always  carried  to  the  last  moment ; 
fore  topmast  and  square  lower  stunsails  being  hung  on 
to  when  the  first  reef  was  in  the  topsails,  and  the  fore 
and  mizen  topgallant  sails  handed. 

In  the  earlier  ships  the  main  topmast  stay  set  up 
through  the  foretop,  but  as  the  staysail  increased  in  size 
so  did  the  stay  come  down  the  foremast,  until  at  last 
the  main  topmast  staysail  rivalled  the  jib  in  the  number 
of  its  cloths. 

Flying  kites  such  as  skysails  and  moonsails  were 
never  popular  in  the  Blackwallers;  Green's  Windsor 
Castle,  however,  crossed  three  standing  skysail  yards, 
but  this  was  after  the  advent  of  double  topsails. 

Dunbar  Castle  is  said  to  have  been  the  last  ship  to  carry 
a  single  topsail  at  sea ;  but  most  of  the  frigates  continued 
the  single  mizen  topsail  when  they  adopted  the  double 


134  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

topsails  at  fore  and  main.  The  later  ships  split  the 
gigantic  jib  in  two,  and  so  spread  four  head  sails. 

Before  the  advent  of  wire,  the  most  important  of  the 
stays  were  double,  and  preventer  backstays  and  pre- 
venter braces  were  the  usual  thing.  Shrouds  on  the 
fore  and  main  were  usually  six  a  side,  with  four  back- 
stays. Channels  to  spread  the  rigging  came  just  above 
the  line  of  square  ports,  and  they  w^ere  so  massive 
that  they  seriously  interfered  with  a  ship's  speed 
when  she  was  heavily  pressed  with  a  beam  wind. 
Quarter-boats  swung  outside  the  mizen  rigging,  and 
a  small  boat  generally  hung  over  the  stern  from  wooden 
davits. 

They  were  always  conservative  ships,  and  new  fangled 
notions  whether  in  design  or  sail  plan  were  very  thor- 
oughly tested  before  they  were  adopted.  Double 
topsails,  which  most  of  the  ships  exchanged  for  Cunning- 
ham's patent  single  topsails  in  1865,  were  looked  upon 
with  great  disfavour  at  first,  for  they  were  considered  by 
these  most  critical  and  particular  Blackwall  seamen  to 
spoil  the  look  of  their  ships  aloft.  Thus  it  was  the 
custom  for  some  years  for  sliips,  when  making  a  harbour 
stow,  to  hoist  the  upper  yards  halfway  between  the  lower 
and  the  topgallant.  These  little  frigates  had  their 
foremasts  stepped  so  far  foreward  that,  when  on  a  wind, 
the  foretack  came  down  to  a  projecting  bumkin  out  of 
the  head,  and  the  foresail  had  to  be  cut  with  a  very 
much  shorter  foot  than  is  usual  nowadays. 

The  Blackwallers  prided  themselves  on  their  weather- 
liness,  and  in  this  resembled  the  American  Atlantic 
packet  ships.  The  fact  was  that  they  could  brace  their 
lower  yards  up  well.  The  Hotspur  and  an  old  Black  X 
packet  once  left  the  Downs  with  a  large  wind-bound 
fleet,  and  by  nightfall  they  had  worked  so  far  to  wind- 


SEAWORTHINESS  135 

ward  that  the  rest  of  the  ships  were  under  the  horizon 
to  leeward  of  them. 

Carrying  away  spars  and  even  sails  was  considered 
bad  seamanship  on  a  Blackwaller,  where  everything 
was  of  the  best,  and  their  singular  freedom  from 
accidents  was  no  doubt  due  to  this  cause. 

Seaworthiness. 

The  Blackwall  frigates  belonged  to  an  era  when 
seaworthiness  was  a  sme  qua  non  in  a  first  class  passenger 
ship.  Beautifully  kept,  regularly  overhauled,  and 
with  every  beam  and  plank  of  picked  wood,  every  rope- 
yarn  strong  enough  to  hang  a  man,  and  every  sail 
without  a  patch,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  that  accidents 
were  few  and  far  between. 

Built  of  imperishable  teak,  and  ribbed  with  Sussex 
oak,  leaks  were  so  negligible  that  one  hears  little  of  that 
man-killing  work  at  the  pumps,  the  nightmare  of  soft 
wood  ships. 

No  Blackwaller  ever  had  to  shorten  sail  to  prevent 
straining  in  a  heavy  sea.  And  with  their  swelling  bows 
and  rounded  quarters  they  were  as  lively,  buoyant  and 
dry  as  so  many  corks.  Their  crews  had  no  such 
experiences  as  were  the  common  lot  of  seamen  in  the 
later  iron  ships.  A  flooded  main  deck  would  have 
filled  them  with  alarm.  Such  a  sight  as  a  whole  watch 
being  hurled  to  and  fro  as  the  ship  rolled  and  each 
following  wave  poured  back  and  forth  over  the  top- 
gallant rails,  would  have  sent  the  officer  of  the  watcli 
flying  to  the  captain  with  a  request  that  the  ship  might 
be  hove  to. 

As  for  the  idea  of  a  Blackwall  frigate  broaching  to 
and  sweeping  her  lower  yardarms  through  the  boiling 
surge  to  leeward,  it  would  have  been  unthinkable. 


136  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Yet  these  little  ships  were  heavy  steerers.  Captain 
Whall  recounts  seeing  Captain  Toynbee,  his  chief 
officer  and  two  quartermasters  steering  the  old  Hotspur 
for  a  whole  four  hours,  when  she  was  running  before  the 
westerlies  with  double  reefed  topsails  on  the  caps. 

The  early  Blackwallers  modelled  their  ways  on  the 
old  John  Company,  preferred  comfort  to  speed,  and 
snugged  down  for  the  night,  but  this  was  very  far  from 
the  custom  of  the  later  commanders,  who  with  their 
strong  crews  liked  carrying  on  on  occasions  and  thought 
nothing  of  stunsail  booms. 

Whall  tells  how  in  the  Hotspur  they  carried  away  the 
topmast  stunsail  tack  three  times  on  one  watch,  a  new 
one  being  instantly  rove  on  each  occasion.  And  he 
remembered  beating  into  Table  Bay  against  a  south- 
easter under  double-reefed  topsails,  reefed  foresail,  fore 
topmast  staysail  and  balance -reefed  spanker. 

It  was  wonderful  the  runs  that  were  got  out  of  these 
little  bluff-bowed  frigates. 

Here  is  a  week's  work  of  the  Hotspur  running  easting 
down  in  42°  S.  in  September,  1864  :— 204,  238,  328, 
252,  280,  257,  174.  And  she  was  a  long  way  from 
being  the  fastest  of  them. 

Speeds  of  the  Blackwallers  compared. 

Green's  ships  were  not  considered  to  be  so  sharp - 
ended  as  Smiths  or  Wigrams,  and  the  earlier  ships  of 
Joseph  Somes  and  Duncan  Dunbar  were  real  old  stylers, 
wbich  pushed  a  heavy  wave  in  front  of  them. 

But  each  firm  had  one  or  two  extra  fast  ships.  Willis's 
wonder,  The  Tweed,  was,  of  course,  in  a  class  by 
herself.  She  was  the  equal  of  any  clipper,  and  would 
have  given  Cully  Sark  or  Thcnnoptjlac  all  they  could  do. 


BLACKWALLERS'  SPEED  137 

Green's  fastest  ships  were  probably  the  Alnwick  Castle ^ 
Clarence,  Windsor  Castle  and  Anglesey. 

The  little  Kent  was  the  pick  of  Money  Wigram's, 
though  the  Suffolk  once  went  out  to  Australia  in  68 ^ 
days. 

The  La  Hague  was  the  crack  of  Dunbar's  fleet,  though 
she  was  not  as  fast  as  her  great  rival,  Devitt  &  Moore's 
Parramatta. 

Dunbar's  Northfleet,  also,  from  her  records  must 
have  had  an  unusual  turn  of  speed. 

Joseph  Somes  possessed  two  or  three  very  fast  ships, 
such  as  the  Northampton,  which  went  from  the  start  to 
the  Ridge  Lightship  in  72  days,  and  the  famous  Leandcr; 
but  they  were  not  Blackwallers  but  composite  clippers. 
Smith's  last  ship,  the  St.  Lawrence,  was  also  their 
fastest.  But  in  1853,  in  the  height  of  the  Australian 
gold  rush,  they  sent  out  the  famous  old  Marlborough 
to  Melbourne.  She  went  out  in  78  days  and  came 
home  in  83i,  and  what  was  the  most  astonishing 
part  of  this  performance  was  the  fact  that  she  had 
an  entire  crew  of  Lascars.  Sir  Allen  Young  was  her 
commander. 

There  is  no  doubt  that,  taken  on  an  average,  the 
Blackwall  frigates  were  a  great  deal  faster  than  people 
supposed.  They  never  made  any  huge  24 -hour  runs, 
it  is  true,  but  they  were  all-round  ships,  and,  being 
perfectly  sailed,  they  frequently  beat  ships  which  had 
the  reputation  of  being  far  their  superiors. 

If  1  had  to  place  the  first  three  in  an  ocean  race  for 
true  Blackwallers  I  should  give  them  as  follows:— 

First — The  Tweed. 
Second — Parramatta 
Third— La  Hogue. 


13b  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Cyclones. 

There  is  one  great  enemy  of  all  Indian  traders,  and 
that  is  the  dreaded  cyclone.  Yet  the  number  of  Black- 
wall  frigates  which  came  to  grief  in  cyclones  was 
extraordinarily  small,  though  scarcely  one  of  them 
escaped  this  fearful  experience. 

Commanders  of  East  India  ships  were  great  experts  in 
cyclone  seamanship;  and  they  were  greatly  helped  by 
the  mass  of  data  collected  by  Piddington  in  his  Sailor's 
Horn-book,  not  the  least  of  this  data  being  the  various 
atmospheric  warnings  and  curious  phenomena  which 
accompanied  cyclones. 

A  cyclonic  storm,  variously  called  cyclone,  hurricane 
and  typhoon,  is  the  greatest  example  of  Nature's  forces 
in  action  that  is  known  to  us.  And  the  results  on  our 
atmosphere  are  exhibited  in  many  ways,  which  are  both 
terrifying,  awe-inspiring,  of  vast  interest  to  the  meteor- 
ologist and  of  wonder  to  the  ordinary  spectator. 

A  cyclone  seems  to  upset  all  Nature's  laws — the 
lightning  often  darts  straight  upwards  as  well  as  down- 
wards; the  wind  comes  in  squalls  which  are  bitter  with 
ice  at  one  moment,  hot  and  stiffling  as  a  sirocco  at  the 
next.  Besides  the  scream  of  the  ordinary  gale  there 
occurs  at  certain  periods,  generally  just  before  a  sudden 
shift  of  the  wind,  a  fearful  booming  sound,  which  once 
heard  is  never  forgotten.  Then  too,  at  the  very  worst 
period  when  the  centre  is  close  aboard,  though  the  sky 
may  be  as  black  as  night  and  as  thick  as  a  London  fog,  a 
curious  patch  of  light,  the  colour  of  brick  dust,  will 
suddenly  appear  and  linger  above  the  horizon.  There 
are  many  other  wonderful  sight  and  sound  effects.  But 
they  are  not  the  only  senses  affected.  A  curious  strong 
smell  of  the  sea,  of  seaweed  and  fish,  is  a  very  usual 
characteristic  ;  and  there  are  instances  of  the  well-known 


CYCLONES  189 

smells  of  certain  chemicals — such  as  sulphur,  brimstone 
and  carbonic  oxide. 

Even  the  fishes  of  the  sea  and  the  birds  of  the  air 
are  affected  by  cyclones.  Turtle  have  been  found 
stupefied  just  before  a  cyclone;  birds  in  a  dazed  con- 
dition have  settled  in  the  rigging  of  ships  and  refused 
to  fly  away,  even  spiders  and  flies,  rats  and  mice  have 
behaved  in  curious  fashion  just  before  and  during 
cyclones. 

Let  us  now  turn  to  our  little  frigates  and  see  how  they 
behaved  during  these  tremendous  convulsions  of  Nature. 
I  will  take  them  in  order  of  date,  and  quote  actual  logs 
or  the  personal  accounts  of  those  aboard. 

**Vernon"  in  a  Cyclone,  1843. 

The  Vernon,  Captain  Voss,  was  bound  for 
Madras  from  England,  and  the  following  is  her 
commander's  account: — 

Ship  Vernon  26th  November,  1843. — It  began  to  get  gloomy  and  the 
clouds  were  whirling  about  above  in  a  remarkable  manner,  wind  variable 
from  the  eastward  below  and  in  puffs.  Barometer  not  much  under  30.00 
(about  29.95). 

57th  November. — Barometer  had  fallen  to  29.85,  dark  and  gloomy 
weather,  still  variable  from  N.E.  to  east  with  squalls,  confused  swell  all 
round,  clouds  very  low  and  lowering,  with  appearance  of  bad  weather. 
Lat.  9' 6' N.,  long.  85^0' E.  Barometer  30.0,  thermometer  83".  Clouds 
still  moving  in  all  directions;  kept  snug  at  night;  very  squallv  with  rain 
from  east  to  N.E.,  sea  getting  up. 

28th  November. — At  dayhght,  barometer  at  29.70,  every  appearance 
of  bad  weather,  wind  increasing,  variable  and  threatening  from  E.S.E.  to 
N.E.,  double  reefed,  etc.,  and  sent  down  royal  yards  towards  noon. 
Lat.  by  acct.  10°  46'  N.,  long.  84°  7'  E.  Barometer  29.80,  thermometer 
78°.  We  appeared  to  have  got  between  three  clouds,  wind  then  came  in 
hard  squalls  (ship  with  topgallant  sails  furled  and  courses  up,  topsails  on 
Ihe  cap  and  reef  tackles  close  out).  Forked  lightning  but  not  much 
thunder,  squalls  from  N.E.,  then  north  and  N.W.,  and  right  round,  and 
thus  the  ship  went  round  six  turns  iyi  about  150  minutes  fjll'^nving  the 


140  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

wind,  with  after  yards  square  and  head  yards  braced  up.  The  rain 
falling  literally  in  heavy  sheets,  so  that  it  was  hardly  possible  to  stand: 
the  men  obliged  to  hold  on,  decks  half  full  of  water.  The  wind  not 
moderating  with  the  rain  but  blowing  in  severe  gusts.  After  this  the 
wind  steadier,  but  still  about  N.E.  to  E.S.E.,  with  sharp  squalls  obliging 
us  to  lower  the  double-reefed  topsails,  very  dark  and  gloomy. 

29th  November. — More  moderate,  still  blowing  hard  with  gloomy 
weather  till  sunset,  when  it  became  finer. 

"Monarch"  in  the  Calm  Centre,  1845. 

The  Monarch,  Captain  Walker,  when  homeward 
bound  on  her  maiden  voyage  and  midway  between  the 
Western  Isles  and  the  Lizard,  encountered  a  North 
Atlantic  cyclone,  and  the  following  is  the  commander's 
memorandum. 

22nd  April,  1845. — At  10  a.m.  under  double  reefs.  Barometer  29.70. 
2  p.m.,  breeze  freshened  from  S.W.,  every  appearance  of  bad  weather, 
Barometer  29.50.  Ship  steering  E.N. E.,  all  preparations  made.  7  p.m., 
barometer  29.30.  Blowing  very  hard,  high  sea  and  atmosphere  very 
threatening.  8  p.m.,  barometer  28.95.  Furled  everything  but  storm 
mizen  trysail.  8.30  p.m.,  wind  suddenly  lulled  to  a  dead  calm,  which 
lasted  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  ship  not  steering,  and  sea  striking  the 
counter  in  an  awful  way,  shaking  her  fore  and  aft,  the  appearance  of 
the  weather  stormy  in  the  extreme,  with  rain  and  lightning.  9  p.m., 
instantaneously  from  dead  calm  it  blew  a  most  terrilic  gale  from  the 
north  with  rain  and  hail.  10  p.m.  to  daylight,  wind  settled  to  a  strong 
gale  and  gradually  veered  to  N.W.,  barometer  rising  steadily. 

Captain  Walker  declared  that  when  the  wind  came 
out  of  the  north  the  ship  would  have  been  dismasted 
if  every  sail  had  not  been  firmly  secured. 

Many  a  strong  ship  has  been  overwhelmed  by  the 
calm  centre  of  a  cyclone.  In  November,  1846,  Captain 
Lay,  of  the  Tudor,  ran  into  a  severe  cyclone  in  13°  S., 
83°  E.,  when  bound  to  Calcutta.  He  hove  to  in  order 
to  allow  the  centre  to  pass  north  of  him,  but  got  so  near 
the  centre  that  he  drifted  56  miles  in  16  hours,  being 
carried  along  by  the  storm  wave. 


CYCLONES  141 

Fourteen     Persons     suffocated     aboard     the 
"Maria  Somes." 

The  Maria  Somes,  with  troops  on  board,  ran 
headlong  into  the  centre  of  a  cyclone  in  March,  1846. 
She  was  dismasted  and  nearly  foundered,  and  being 
battened  down  ''fourteen  persons  were  suffocated  for 
want  of  air  during  the  tempest.''^ 

**  Earl  of  Hardwicke's  "  Cyclone  Log. 

The  Earl  of  Hardwicke,  Captain  Weller,  was 
bound  to  Calcutta,  and  the  following  are  Captain 
Weller 's  notes: — 

26th  December.— Lat.  28°  42'  S.,  long.  80°  46'  E.  Barometer  29  95. 
Strong  breezes  from  S.E.  and  north.  Squally,  thick,  heavy,  wild 
looking  weather,  upper  clouds  coming  from  N.W.,  the  next  stratum  N.E., 
and  the  lower  scud  and  wind  fast  from  S.E.  Midnight,  from  10  knots 
ran  into  a  dead  calm. 

27th  December.— Lat.  26°  14'  S..  long.  81°  5'  E.  Barometer  30.00, 
Confused  sea,  heaviest  from  S.W.  Wind  east  to  E.S.E.  and  strong  trade 
throughout. 

28th  December.— Lat.  22°  37'  S..  long  81°  0'  E.     Barometer  29.95. 

29th  December.— Lat.  19°  S.,  long.  81°  CO'  E.,  barometer  29.71. 
Strong  trade  still  but  squally  and  confused  sea,  barometer  falhng, 
prepared  for  bad  weather;   upper  clouds  from  N.E. 

30th  December.— Lat.  17°  6'  S.,  long.  81°  41'  E.,  barometer  29.75. 
To  8  a.m.,  running  at  6  and  8  knots  to  the  northward,  but  appearances 
threatening,  hove  to.  Dense  lurid  atmosphere,  very  peculiar  appearance 
at  sunset  the  last  two  evenings.  P.M.,  continued  dark  appearance  to 
the  north-westward,  ran  twice  to  the  north  and  found  the  wind  increasing 
and  drawing  to  the  eastward  with  thick  weather,  but  always  fine  when 
going  south.  Kept  her  south  till  it  should  clear  off  a  little  ;  a  thick 
lurid  appearance  over  the  heavens,  the  sun  only  showing  as  through  a 
dense  veil  with  heavy  leaden-looking  clouds  to  the  north  and  N.W. 

31st  December. — 4  a.m.,  barometer  not  falling  any  more,  made  more 
sail  to  the  nort\ward,  weather  became  more  squally  with  thick  weather 
and  heavy  rain.  8  a.m.,  a  heavy  squall  from  the  N.E.,  shortened  sail  to 
close-reefed  main  topsail,  light  easterly  air  with  a  heavy  arch  to  the 
northward,  which  kept  nearly  in  the  same  position  till  noon,  ship 
drawing  to  the  southward  3  knots.  Noon,  lat.  16°  26'  S.,  long.  85°  39' 
E.,  barometer  29.80.     1  p  m.,  made  sail  again  tg  north  and  east.     A3 


142  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

we  advanced  weather  became  thick  and  squally.  4  p.m.,  smart  squall  with 
rainy  weather,  not  able  to  see  50  yards  from  the  ship,  wore  to  the  south 
and  shortened  sail  to  close-reefed  fore  and  main  topsails:  weather 
clearing  a  little,  but  an  immense  mass  of  heavy  leaden  lookmg  clouds, 
and  over  the  whole  of  the  heavens  a  very  murky  threatening  appearance. 
Sun  at  setting  gave  the  whole  a  red  lurid  appearance,  and  everythmg 
on  board  had  a  red  tint.  8  p.m..  a  fresh  gale  S.E.  Although  the  sun 
and  moon  were  visible  during  the  day,  yet  they  were  only  seen  as  through 
a  thick  veil.  After  midnight  the  stars  began  to  show,  and  the  thick 
lurid  haze  went  off.  Blue  sky  was  visible  at  daylight,  but  still  a  heavy 
leaden  appearance  to  the  northward,  with  a  heavy  confused  swell, 
heaviest  from  the  east. 

This  account  is  a  splendid  instance  of  a  commander 
seeing  the  cyclone  ahead  of  him,  turning  tail  and 
avoiding  it.  The  red  lurid  .nppearance  was  a  sure  sign ; 
this  is  constantly  reported  by  ships  on  the  edge  of  or  m 
cyclones. 

The  Dark  Blood-red  Cyclone  Sky. 

This  terrible  sky,  the  blood  red  cyclone  sky,  is 
one  of  the  most  awe-inspiring  sights  that  sailors  can  see, 
and  many  an  observer  has  described  it  with  the  graphic 
pen  of  deep  emotion. 

Here  is  the  account  of  Captain  Norman  McLeod,  of 
the  ship  John  McViccar,  5th  October,  in  14°  50'  N., 
89|°  E.,  the  moon  being  ten  days  old.  I  take  it 
from  Piddington. 

At  sunset  the  sea  and  sky  became  all  on  a  sudden  of  a  bright  scarlet 
colour  (I  do  not  remember  ever  seeing  it  so  red  before)  even  to  the  very 
zenith,  and  all  round  the  horizon  was  of  this  colour.  The  sea  appeared 
an  ocean  of  cochineal,  and  the  ship  and  everything  on  board  looked  as 
if  it  were  dyed  with  that  colour :  the  sky  kept  this  appearance  till 
nearly  midnight,  and  it  only  diminished  as  it  came  on  to  rain.  No 
sooner  was  this  phenomenon  over  than  the  sea  became  as  it  were  all  oa 
tire  with  phosphoric  matter.  We  took  up  several  buckets  of  water, 
but  even  with  the  microscope  few  or  no  animalcules  were  detected. 

In  October,  1848,  the  Barham,  Captain  Vaile, 
encountered   a   cyclone    in    the    Bay    of    Bengal,    and 


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CYCLONES  143 

describes  how  the  red  cyclone  sky  was  visible  from  2  to  4 
a.m.,  the  moon,  the  day  before  full,  shining  at  an 
altitude  of  about  45°  through  a  veil  of  clouds.  He 
states  that  the  whole  sky  from  horizon  to  horizon  was 
a  mass  of  dense,  heavy  clouds.  The  red  was  everywhere 
apparent,  but  in  patches  deeper  in  some  parts  than  in 
others,  and  some  of  the  clouds  opposite  the  moon  were  of 
a  very  deep  orange  red. 

The  lightning  burst  forth  from  these  clouds  like 
flashes  from  a  gun  and  sparks  from  a  flint  and  steel. 
At  the  same  time  several  stars  were  visible  along 
the  horizon,  both  rising  and  setting,  and  these  were 
unusually  bright  and  twinkling. 

Dampier's  Hurricane  Cloud. 

Dampier's  unexampled  gift  for  recording  detail  is 
well  shown  in  that  buccaneer's  picturesque  account  of  a 
hurricane  cloud  in  his  Discourse  of  Winds.      He  whites: 

The  Hurricane  clouds  tower  up  their  heads,  pressing  forwards  as 
if  they  all  strove  for  precedency  ;  yet  so  linked  one  within  another,  that 
all  move  alike.  Besides  the  edges  of  these  clouds  are  gilded  with 
various  and  affrighting  colours,  the  very  edge  of  all  seems  to  be  of  a  pale 
fire-colour,  next  that  of  a  dull  yellow,  and  nearer  the  body  of  the  cloud 
of  a  copper-colour,  and  the  body  of  the  cloud,  which  is  very  thick  appears 
extraordinary  black  :  and  altogether  it  looks  very  terrible  and  amazmg 
even  beyond  expression. 

Calcutta  Cyclone  of  1864. 

The  terrible  force  of  a  cyclone  is  seen  best  when  it 
strikes  inland  or  upon  a  harbour,  then  indeed  its  blast 
lays  everything  flat,  piling  up  ships  and  houses  into 
rubbish  heaps  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye. 

In  the  Calcutta  cyclone  of  5th  October,  1864,  a 
fearful  destruction  was  wrought  upon  the  port  and  its 
shipping.  Luckily  it  was  a  small  area,  fast-moving 
storm  oj  Calcutta  would  have  been  no  more. 


144  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

The  opium  steamer  Riever,  one  of  the  few  vessels 
which  survived,  kept  the  best  meteorological  log  of  the 
storm : — 

4th  October.— 8  p.m..  heavy  rain.  Midnight,  strong  N.E.  gale,  heavy 
rain. 

5th  October. — 6  a.m., strong  N.E.  gale,  heavy  rain.  9  a.m.,  strong  N.E. 
gale,  heavy  rain.  Barometer  29.70.  10  a.m.,  wind  increasing,  east. 
2  p.m.,  hurricane  E.S.E.  Barometer  28.27.  2.45  p.m.,  hurricane  at  its 
height.  Aneroid  27.97.  3  p.m.,  hurricane  S.E.  Barometer  28.10.- 
3.30  p.m.,  tremendous  gusts,  wind  veering  to  south.  4  p.m.,  occasional 
lulls  S.W.  Barometer  28.50.  o  p.m.,  gale  decreasing  S.VV.  by  VV. 
Barometer  29.20.     G  p.m.,  hurricane  over. 

The  wind  was  not  perhaps  as  strong  as  in  the  1842 
cyclone,  but  the  storm  wave  helped  by  the  flood  tide 
turned  the  river  into  a  roaring  torrent  and  did  the  most 
terrible  damage. 

Ships  began  to  break  adrift  soon  after  noon,  the  first 
being  the  old  Mauritius*  of  the  General  Screw  Steamship 
Company.  Only  two  ships  held  on  in  the  stream,  the 
Blackwaller  Alumbagh  and  the  Sir  Robert  Lees;  the  rest 
drove  helplessly  up  the  river  or  piled  one  on  top  of 
another  upon  the  shore.  All  the  Esplanade  moorings 
were  torn  away  except  those  of  the  opium  steamers 
Riever  and  Renown,  Harry  Warren  and  War  Eagle, 
which  saved  themselves  through  the  use  of  coir  springs. 

Altogether  about  200  sea-going  ships  went  adrift,  and 
all  but  a  dozen  of  these  piled  up  on  the  shore.  The 
Lady  Franklin,  Ville  de  St.  Denis  and  Azemia  founaered 
in  mid  stream.  A  country  ship,  the  Ally,  capsized 
and  drowned  about  300  coolies.     The  steamer  Thunder 


♦This  steamer  had  an  adventurous  career;  ten  years  earlier,  when 
fitting  out  for  the  Crimea,  she  was  nearly  destroyed  by  fire  in  dock  at 
Southampton.  When  the  G.S.S.Co.  failed,  she  was  converted  to  a 
sailing  ship,  and  her  name  changed  to  Russia.  She  proved  an  excellent 
windjammer;   and  was  still  afloat  in  the  nineties,  under  the  Norwegian 


y 


SOUTHAMPTON  "  AFTER  THE  CALCUTTA  CYCLONE,  1864. 


AFTER  THE  CALCUTTA  CYCLONE,   1864. 


[To  face  Page  144. 


CYCLONES  145 

drove  right  over  the  wreck  of  the  American  barque 
North  Atlantic  and  settled  down  across  her  poop.  The 
Govindpore  and  another  vessel,  which  had  broken  from 
the  Esplanade  moorings,  collided  and  sank  opposite  the 
Custom  House.  The  Newcastle  and  Renown  of  Green's, 
Marshall's  Winchester-  and  the  deep  watermen  Knight 
Commander,  Great  Tasmania,  Camper  down,  Childivall 
Abbey,  Aphrodita,  Broughton  Hall,  Astronomer,  Aaron 
Brown,  Ann  Roijden,  and  many  others,  together  with 
the  P.  &  O.  steamers  Nubia,  Hindostan,  Bengal  and 
Nemesis  were  all  stranded  and  badly  damaged. 

Deeds  of  the  most  heroic  in  life-saving  took  place 
unrecorded  during  this  scene  of  wild  confusion  and 
wreckage.  The  driving  rain  was  so  thick  that  no  one 
could  see  more  than  a  few  feet  beyond  his  own  centre  of 
trouble.  Whilst  the  big  ships  drove  lurching  and 
cannoning  up  stream,  on  all  sides  of  them  dinghys, 
cargo  wallahs  and  other  native  boats  were  being  over- 
whelmed and  destroyed  in  their  thousands. 

Ashore  92  European  houses  were  laid  flat  and  2296 
damaged  according  to  the  police  reports,  whilst  of 
blown -down  native  huts  and  go -downs  no  count  was  ever 
attempted.  Church  steeples  buckled  and  fell;  roofs 
lifted  off  and  took  wing :  the  air  was  thick  with  jalousies, 
punkahs,  awnings  and  sun  blinds;  whilst  well  stayed 
topgallant  and  royal  masts  cracked  like  carrots. 

It  was  due  to  this  cyclone  that  the  order  was  given 
for  all  topgallant  masts  to  be  struck  in  Calcutta  during 
the  cyclone  months;  our  illustration  of  the  Esplanade 
moorings  shows  this  order  in  full  force. 

Down  the   river   the   cyclone   wave   swept   over   the 

banks  and  far  inland.      At  the  Sunderbunds  thousands 

of  natives  and  thousands  of  wild  beasts  were  drowned. 

\t  Saugor  Island  every  hut  was  swept  away  and  only  a 

h 


146  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

few  natives  saved  themselves  by  climbing  trees,    the 
sea  covering  the  kuid  to  the  depth  of  16  feet. 

'♦Hotspur"  and  'Alnwick  Castle"  ride  out  a 
Cyclone  at  the  Sandheads. 

Less  than  three  weeks  after  this  storm,  Calcutta 

was  again  visited,  but  this  time  escaped  the  full  force, 

but  off  the  Sandheads  the  newly  arrived  Blackwallers, 

Hotspur  and  Alnwick  Castle,  had  the  brunt  of  it. 

Captain  Toynbee's  notes  are  worth  quoting: — 

21st  October. — 6  p.m.,  came  to  an  anchor.  10.30  p.m.,  turned  the 
bands  out.  Down  topgallant  and  royal  yards.  Veered  out  all  the 
cable  on  port  chain.  Midnight,  barometer  29.82.  Wind  gradually 
increasing  with  heavy  squalls  and  tremendous  rain.  1  a.m.,  wind  E.S.E. 
A  cyclone  was  manifestly  passing  over  us.  The  lightning  was  beyond 
description.  The  rain  fell  in  a  sheet  rather  than  in  drops,  and  one  may 
truly  say  that  the  darkness  could  be  felt  except  when  the  red  glare  of  the 
lightning  made  all  visible.  2  a.m.,  wind  began  to  shift  to  south,  and 
round  to  N.W.  The  hardest  gusts  from  S.W.  lay  the  ship  over  as  if  she 
had  been  carrying  a  heavy  press  of  canvas,  and  it  must  have  been  then 
that  our  topgallant  masts  blew  over  the  side.  Considering  that  each 
of  these  masts  was  supported  by  three  stays  and  six  backstays,  and  that 
the  yards  were  down  on  deck,  one  could  hardly  have  believed  it  possible 
that  it  could  blow  hard  enough  to  carry  them  away  :  the  sound  of  their 
fall  was  not  heard  from  the  deck.  I  had  sent  the  crew  below  to  get 
some  coffee,  and  had  told  the  boatswain  and  his  mates  that  after  they 
had  drunk  it  we  must  strike  our  masts.  During  a  flash  of  lightning  I 
looked  aloft  and  saw  the  three  hanging  in  the  topmast  rigging.  4.30 
a.m.,  after  a  furious  clap  of  thunder  the  wind  shifted  to  N.W.  and  blew 
only  a  hard  gale.  The  ship's  stern  was  now  exposed  to  the  S.E.  sea, 
which  was  coming  up  in  great  rollers  and  topping  tremendously  like 
awful  breakers  :  this  filled  our  stern  cabins  full  of  water,  but  it  decreased 
quickl}'. 

The  loss  of  the  topgallant  masts  is  thus  vividly 
described  by  the  late  Captain  Whall,  who  was  a  midship- 
man on  board,  in  his  most  interesting  book  School  and 
Sea  Days: — 

In  the  midst  of  this  terrific  elemental  war  we  went  on  with  our  work 
aloft.      Another  hour's  hard  labour  and  we  got  the  topgallant  yard  on 


CYCLONES  147 

deck.  Still  we  had  not  done  ;  the  masts  follow,  for  it  was  a  matter  of 
life  or  death,  though  we  youngsters  did  not  realise  it.  If  our  cable 
parted  we  should  be  on  the  sands  in  half  an  hour,  and  if  once  we  touched 
there  was  no  chance  of  life. 

We  were  almost  spent,  but  the  three  of  us  again  clambered  aloft  to 
the  mizen  top  to  wait  till  the  mast  rope  was  sent  up  to  us.  Hardly  had 
we  got  there  when  a  terrific  gust  blew  the  furled  mizen  topsail  adrift, 
which  for  a  few  moments  bellied  and  flapped  out  in  the  storm.  Some 
men  were  sent  from  the  deck  to  resecure  it  :  the  first  of  them  showed 
his  face  up  through  the  lubber's  hole,  his  face  ghastly  white  in  the  glare 
of  the  lightning. 

"  Hurry  up!"  I  yelled  to  him.  He  gave  one  scared  look  round  at  me, 
at  the  slattering  sail,  at  the  surroundings  generally,  then,  with  a  cry  of 
"  Oh,  blazes !  I'm  off  !  "  he  disappeared. 

At  that  moment  came  another  fierce  gust,  the  topsail  gave  one  huge 
flap  ;  then,  torn  from  the  yard,  it  flew  into  the  darkness  to  leeward  hke 
a  gigantic  bird.  The  lightning  was  now  beyond  description,  and  as  the 
fearful  force  of  the  wind  made  any  kind  of  work  impossible,  we  lay 
clinging  where  we  were,  between  sea  and  sky,  and  watched  the  awful 
spectacle.  At  the  mastheads  sat  three  blue  globes  of  flame — which 
sailors  call  corposants — and  the  flashes  of  lightning  came  down  in  a  way 
I  never  saw  but  once  before  or  since,  in  straight  lines  from  sky  to  sea. 

I  suppose  we  ought  by  rights  to  have  gone  down  to  the  deck,  but  we 
had  not  been  called  down,  and  so  there  we  remained,  hanging  on  for 
dear  life.  Suddenly  the  middy  by  my  side,  having  happened  to  look 
aloft  during  a  lightning  flash,  roared  out: — "  The  topgallant  masts  are 
gone  !  "  I  looked  up.  Yes,  they  were  hanging  in  the  rigging,  having 
broken  short  off  at  the  topmast  caps,  and  though  we  lay  not  20  feet  from 
the  broken  mast  we  did  not  hear  its  fall  in  the  roar  of  the  storm. 

"  Jolly  good  job  !  "  cried  I.  "  Let's  get  down  out  of  this."  And 
down  we  went." 

The  Alnwick  Castle  had  her  topmasts  blown  clean  out 
of  her  just  as  she  was  anchoring  two  miles  from  the 
Hotspur.  Her  fore  and  main  lower  mastheads  and 
half  the  mizen  lower  mast  as  well  as  the  jibboom  went 
with  the  topmasts. 

But  like  the  Hotspur  she  weathered  it  out,  though  she 
must  have  had  a  still  worse  time.  She  had  troops  on 
board,  who  were,  of  course,  battened  down  below  and 
one  hesitates  to  think  what  that  troop  deck  was  like 
through  t^hat  long  and  terrible  night. 


148  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

*'St.  Lawrence"  in  the  Madras  Cyclone  of 
1871. 

Madras  Roads  in  a  cyclone  are  a  mass  of  boiling 
surf  for  as  far  as  4  miles  from  the  beach,  and  ships 
caught  here  are  usually  doomed.  Amongst  a  number  of 
fine  ships  the  famous  Hotspur  came  to  her  end  during  a 
Madras  cyclone,  as  we  shall  see  later  in  the  book. 

And  in  November,  1871,  the  St.  Lawrence  nearly 
shared  her  fate.  The  late  Captain  Whall  kept  a  very 
complete  account  of  his  experience  in  this  cyclone, 
which  is  worth  preserving : — 

4th  November,  1871. — Noon,  9  miles  south  of  Madras.  As  soon  as 
the  anchorage  came  in  sight,  braced  sharp  up  and  headed  for  the 
shipping.  3  p.m.,  could  not  fetch  in  owing  to  the  strong  current.  When 
5  miles  south  of  Madras  Light  and  two  miles  off  shore  tacked  off,  nearly 
missing  stays.      Midnight,  tacked,  heading  up  about  N.N.W.  |  W. 

5th  November. — 5.30  a.m.,  found  ourselves  close  in  below  Sadras 
having  been  set  nearly  30  miles  to  the  southward.  Tacked  (missed  stays) 
and  stood  off.  Noon,  lat.  12°  3' N..  long.  80°  44' E.  A  heavy  sea  from 
N.E.ward,  and  increasing  breeze  north,  fine  clear  weather.  4  p.m., 
hard  gusts  ;  in  topgallant  sails.  6  p.m.,  beginning  to  look  squally. 
Wind  N.  by  E.,  head  sea  getting  heavier.  9  p.m..  wind  unsteady,  N.N.E. 
to  N.  by  W.  11  p.m.,  heavy  squalls  from  north,  stowed  courses,  kept 
away  S.E.  Midnight,  fresh  gale.  Wind  N.  by  W.  Barometer  29.90, 
thick  weather. 

6th  November. — 1  a.m.,  N.  1°  W.  to  N.  2°  W.  wind.  Hard  squalls  with 
rain  and  thick  weather.  A  red  brick  dust  glare,  stowed  upper  topsails. 
Barometer  29.87.  4  a.m.,  wind  north.  Barometer  29.82.  5  a.m., 
very  severe  squall  with  a  strong  sulphurous  smell  accompanying  it  and 
heavy  rain  from  N.E.  6  to  8  a.m..  wind  N.E.  to  N.N.E.  and  N.J  E. 
Moderate  gale,  dirty  thick  weather.  Wind  gradually  hauling.  We 
have  been  keeping  off  gradually  since  midnight  and  are  now  steering 
S.  by  E.  Dirty  leaden  appearance  to  eastward  and  sea  still  getting  up. 
9  a.m.,  wind  N.  by  W.  Barometer  29.84.  Heavy  gale.  10  a.m.,  wind 
N.N.W.  increasing  fast  and  sea  rising  very  quickly  to  a  tremendous 
height.  Sent  down  fore  and  mizen  topgallant  yards.  Got  up  mast 
rope  for  main,  but  were  obliged  to  call  the  hands  down.  Barometer 
29.81.  11  a.m.,  in  lower  topsails,  ship  labouring  fearfully  and  awful 
sea  running,  hove  to  on  port  tack,  hauled  down  foretopmast  staysail  and 
put  a  boat  sail  in  mizen  rigging,  which  however  we  soon  took  down 
again.     Barometer    29.72.     Noon,    wind    N.W\    blowing    a   hurricane. 


CYCLONES  14d 

Lat.  by  ace,  10«  44'  N.,  long,  by  ace,  82°  35'  E.  Ship  laying  to  very 
well,  lee  side  of  main  deck  in  the  water.  1  p.m.,  wind  N.W.  blowing 
furiously.  Barometer  29.40.  2  p.m.,  wind  N.W.  blowing  furiously. 
Barometer  29.25.  2.30  p.m.,  wind  N.W.  blowing  furiously.  Barometer 
28.96.  3  p.m.  (about),  a  tremendous  gust  from  W.S.W.  which  laid  the 
lee  side  of  poop  in  the  water,  starboard  cutter  and  the  main  rail  washed 
away:  jibboom  went,  in  the  cap  taking  with  it  fore  topgallant  mast. 
Barometer  28.80.  3.30  p.m.,  wind  at  greatest  force  between  3  and  3.30. 
By  3.30  wind  began  to  decrease  and  haul  rapidly  to  southward.  Baro- 
meter 29.02.  4  p.m.,  wind  S.S.W.  decreasing.  Barometer  29.22. 
6  p.m.,  called  all  hands  to  clear  the  wreck.  Barometer  29.39.  6  p.m., 
wind  S.  by  W.  Barometer  29.50.  10  p.m.,  wind  south,  lightning  to 
westward. 

9th  November. — Came  to  anchor  in  Madras  Roads. 

In  reading  these  terse  accounts  of  cyclones,  one 
should  let  one's  imagination  go  to  its  limit,  and  even 
then  it  will  fail  to  give  one  any  real  inkling  of  what  a 
cyclone  is  really  like. 

The  cyclone  breath  not  only  has  a  thousand  claws 
which  tear  at  you,  but  it  hits  you  as  well  like  a  sledge 
hammer;  it  freezes  your  marrow,  and  yet  chokes  you 
with  suffocating  fumes;  it  screams  at  you  like  a  lost 
soul  and  booms  sullenly  like  a  caged  demon.  It  blinds 
you  with  flying  scud,  drowns  you  with  rain,  stuns  you 
with  hail,  and  sets  you  tingling  with  electric  fluid. 

But  beyond  all  this,  there  is  something  about  a 
cyclone  which  is  akin  to  the  earthquake  and  volcanic 
eruption.  It  is  more  than  a  convulsion  of  Nature,  it 
transcends  all  ordinary  natural  phenomenon  in  a  way 
which  science  with  its  laws  has  not  yet  been  able  to 
satisfactorily  explain.  It  is  as  supernatural  as  a  ghost. 
And  those  who  have  experienced  it  have  a  feeling  that 
it  is  an  expression  of  Divine  force,  operating  from  beyond 
our  planet's  atmosphere  to  the  limits  of  the  solar  system 
itself. 

And  it  is  this  feeling  which  oppresses  the  sailor  in  a 
cyclone,  which  subdues  his  spirit  and  grips  his  uneasy 


150  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

heart,    until    his    being    vibrates    with    nerve-shaking 
superstitious  fears. 

The  Old  ♦*Seringapatam." 

It  is  now  time  to  turn  to  the  famous  old  Blackwall 
frigates  themselves  and  treat  them  separately. 

We  will  commence  with  the  year  1837,  when  a  new 
and  improved  type  of  Blackwall  passenger  ship  came 
into  being,  which  marked  a  considerable  step  forward 
in  ship  designing  and  made  the  old  East  Indiaman  of 
the  Hon.  John  Company  an  out-of-date  back  number. 
From  this  year  to  1870  runs  the  era  of  the  Blackwall 
frigate,  as  distinct  from  the  era  of  the  East  Indiaman 
as  it  was  distinct  from  the  era  of  the  iron  passenger 
clipper. 

The  first  of  these  Blackwall  frigates  was  Green's 
famous  Seringapatam.  An  advance  in  size  by  some 
200  tons  from  the  earlier  ships  of  Green  &  VVigram, 
she  was  a  still  greater  advance  in  design. 

In  her  the  heavy  double  stern  and  quarter  galleries  of 
the  old  "tea  waggons"  were  done  away  with  and  a  very 
much  lighter  stern  substituted.  This  at  the  time  was 
considered  a  tremendous  innovation.  And  the  im- 
provement in  speed,  which  was  proved  by  her  long 
record  of  quick  and  regular  passages,  caused  her  to  be 
used  as  a  model  for  many  of  Green's  later  vessels.  She 
once  left  London  on  26th  June,  passed  the  Lizard  7th 
July  and  reached  Bombay  30th  September,  making 
an  85 -day  passage  from  the  Lizard,  and  this  was  by  no 
means  an  exceptional  passage.  Many  others  were 
equally  good. 

The  old  "Seringy,"  as  she  was  always  called,  had  a 
figurehead  that  caused  her  to  be  known  all  over  India. 


"  SERINGAPATAM." 


Prom  an  old  Lilfioc/raph 


FIGUREHEAD  OF  THE  OLD  "  SKRINGY." 

[To  face  Page  150. 


SERINGAPATAM  151 

It  represented  Tippoo  Sahib,  with  a  drawn  scimitar  in 
his  hand,  and  was  always  kept  carefully  painted  in  the 
proper  colours. 

Natives,  when  passing  the  old  "Seringy,"  when  she 
lay  in  the  Calcutta  River,  would  always  salaam  to  this 
figurehead  and,  raising  their  oars  in  salute,  would 
exclaim  aloud  with  admiration  as  they  gazed  up  at 
Tippoo,  crying  out: — "Wha,  wha  !  bhote  atcha  !  bliote 
atcha  !" 

The  Seringapatam  was  commanded  on  her  first  voyage 
by  Captain  George  Denny,  then  she  was  taken  l>y 
Captain  James  Furnell,  later  the  well  known  superin- 
tendent of  Green's  Sailors  Home,  where  he  remained 
until  his  death  in  1878. 

The  famous  old  ship  weathered  out  a  cyclone  in  70°  S., 
58°  E.,  in  September,  1851.  Captain  Furnell  hove  to 
and  allowed  the  centre  to  pass  him.  Ten  years  earlier 
she  was  surrounded  by  icebergs  when  running  her 
easting  down  but  came  to  no  harm.  The  Seringapatam 
was  still  afloat  in  the  sixties. 

George  Cupples,  the  author  of  the  Green  Hand, 
mentions  passing  her  on  his  way  up  the  Hooghly  in  the 
Westminster.       He  writes: — 

As  we  opened  one  broad,  bright  reach,  where  the  mouth  of  another 
river  seemed  to  enter,  we  came  in  sight  of  a  noble  Indiaman,  with  sides 
like  a  frigate's,  canvas  stowed  on  the  yards  and  anchor  down,  lying 
stationary  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  from  our  course:  the 
Seringapatam,  of  1200  tons.  She  had  troops  on  board,  and  the  sounds 
of  a  military  band,  playing  for  dinner-time,  floated  to  us  across  the 
water  in  the  well-known  notes  of  "  Rule  Britannia."  While  we  glided 
slowly  by  her  numerous  crew  greeted  our  ship  with  a  hearty  three 
cheers,  which  was  responded  to  from  the  Westmiyistey. 

So  let  us  leave  the  old  "Seringy,"  her  band  playing 
"Rule  Britannia"  and  her  company  cheering. 


152  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

The  Mystery  of  the  "Madagascar." 

The  Madaffascar,  built  on  the  same  linos  as  the 
Seringapatam,  was  also  known  for  her  speed,  and  on  one 
occasion  ran  from  the  Cape  to  the  Channel  in  43  days. 
The  disappearance  of  this  ship  when  homeward  bonnd 
from  Melbourne  in  1853  is  still  more  or  less  of  a  mystery. 
When  Green  began  sending  ships  out  to  Australia,  in 
the  boom  of  the  gold  excitement,  Madagascar,  under 
Captain  Fortescue  Harris,  became  very  popular  with 
passengers. 

In  July,  1853,  she  lay  in  Port  Phillip  with  the  Blue 
Peter  flying,  a  full  complem'^.nt  of  passengers  and 
68,390  ounces  of  gold  dust  on  board.  Just  as  she  was 
about  to  sail,  Melbourne  detectives  hurried  on  board 
and  arrested  two  of  her  passengers  for  being  concerned 
in  the  Mclvor  Gold  Escort  robrjcry,  which  had  been  the 
latest  piece  of  robbery  under  arms  to  excite  the  Colony. 
The  passengers  were  tried,  and  though  a  great  deal  of 
gold  dust  was  discovered  in  their  baggage  on  the 
Madagascar ,  the  crime  could  not  be  brought  home  to 
them.  After  being  delayed  a  month  by  this  affair, 
the  Madagascar  sailed.  And  when  time  passed  and  she 
did  not  arrive,  all  sorts  of  rumours  began  to  circulate  in 
order  to  account  for  her  disappearance,  but  the  most 
general  belief  was  that  she  had  been  captured  by  a 
number  of  desperadoes,  who,  it  was  said,  had  taken 
passages  in  her  for  that  very  purpose. 

Years  afterwards  the  following  story  went  the  round 
of  the  Colonies.  A  woman  in  New  Zealand,  being  on 
her  death -bed,  sent  for  a  clergyman  and  said  that  she 
had  been  a  nurse  on  the  ill-fated  Madagascar.  Accord- 
ing to  her,  the  crew  and  several  of  the  passengers 
mutinied,  when  the  ship  was  in  the  South  Atlantic. 
Captain  Harris  and  his  officers  were  all  killed;    and  the 


MADAGASCAR   TBAGEDIES  153 

rest  of  the  passengers,  with  the  exception  of  some  of  the 
young  women,  were  locked  up  below.  The  boats  were 
then  lowered,  and  the  gold  and  young  women  put  into 
them.  Finally  the  mutineers  followed,  having  set 
fire  to  the  ship  and  left  their  prisoners  to  burn. 

However,  they  soon  paid  for  their  crimes  with  their 
own  lives,  for  only  one  of  the  boats,  containing  six 
men  and  five  women  (the  narrator  amongst  them) 
succeeded  in  reaching  the  coast  of  Brazil,  and  even  this 
boat  was  capsized  in  the  surf  and  its  cargo  of  stolen 
gold  dust  lost  overboard. 

The  sufferings  of  its  crew  had  been  severe  enough  on 
the  sea,  but  on  land  they  grew  more  terrible  day  by  day. 
At  last  a  small  settlement  was  reached.  But  this 
proved  a  death  trap,  for  yellow  fever  was  raging.  In 
a  very  short  time  only  two  of  the  mutineers  and  this 
woman  remained  alive.  They,  after  more  hardships 
and  privations,  at  last  reached  civilisation.  Then  the 
two  scoundrels,  after  having  dragged  the  woman  with 
them  through  every  kind  of  iniquity,  eventually 
deserted  her.  One  of  them  disappeared  entirely,  but 
the  other,  according  to  her,  was  hanged  in  San  Francisco 
for  murder. 

The  woman  described  herself  as  having  been  a  nurse 
on  board  the  Madagascar;  and  this  may  have  been 
possible  as  there  was  a  Mrs.  de  Cartaret  with  her 
children  on  board. 

This  brings  up  another  tragedy  connected  with  the 
Madagascar. 

Whilst  the  Madagascar  lay  in  Port  Phillip  and  her 
captain  was  having  the  usual  difficulty  in  procuring  a 
crew  for  the  run  home,  the  Roxburgh  Castle  arrived  from 
London.  This  was  on  21st  July.  On  board  the 
Roxburgh  Castle  was  a  certain  Mrs  de  Cartaret  with  her 


154  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

three  children,  who  had  come  out  to  join  her  husband, 
a  well-known  member  of  the  Melbourne  Bar. 

As  the  Roxburgh  Castle  approached  her  anchorage 
Mrs.  de  Cartaret  obtained  a  local  paper  from  the  pilot, 
and  the  first  thing  that  caught  her  eyes  on  glancing  at 
the  Melbourne  news  was  the  announcement  of  the  death 
of  her  husband.  Prostrated  by  the  blow  and  at  the 
same  time  stranded  in  a  strange  country,  her  only  idea 
was  to  get  home  again.  And  so  the  captain  of  the  Rox- 
burgh Castle  arranged  for  her  passage  on  the  ill-fated 
Madagascar.  No  mention  is  made  of  a  nurse,  but  it 
would  be  very  unlikely  to  fird  a  well-to-do  woman  with 
three  children  travelling  without  a  nurse. 

Mrs.  de  Cartaret 's  father  and  sister  lived  at  Yelverton, 
and  for  long  years  after  the  Madagascar  was  given  up 
kept  her  rooms  ready  prepared  for  her. 

In  1899  a  Plymouth  solicitor,  who  had  travelled  out 
to  Melbourne  on  business  in  the  Roxburgh  Castle,  met  the 
surviving  sister,  and  the  whole  story  was  retold. 
Apparently  the  devoted  father  and  sister  of  Mrs.  de 
Cartaret  refused  to  give  up  hope,  and  waited  and  waited 
until  at  last  death  took  them  also. 

The  nurse's  story  can  never  be  proved  ;  but  it  is  likely 
enough,  for  before  Madagascar  sailed  there  were  many 
sinister  rumours  in  Melbourne  concerning  the  objects 
and  antecedents  of  her  crew  and  many  of  her  passengers. 

Besides  the  Madagascar,  the  Earl  of  Hardivicke, 
Ouen  Glendowcr,  Vernon  and  Agincourt  were  all  closely 
modelled  on  the  lines  of  the  Seringapatam. 

•*Owen  Glendower"— "I   can  call  Spirits 
from  the  Vasty  Deep." 

The  Owen  Glendower  was  specially  noted  for  her 
good  looks,  and  so  much  was  she  admired  that  she  had 


OWEN   GLENDOWER  155 

the  words,  "I  can  call  spirits  from  the  vasty  deep," 
painted  across  the  front  of  her  poop. 

She  gave  a  proof  of  her  splendid  sea-going  qualities 
when  she  weathered  out  the  great  Royal  Charier  gale 
without  suffering  any  damage.  And  passengers  always 
found  her  a  most  comfortable  ship. 

In  her  early  days  foreign  merchantmen  were  in  the 
habit  of  lowering  their  topsails  to  the  Owen  Glendower 
as  if  to  a  man-of-war.  Indeed  this  compliment  was 
paid  to  many  of  the  Blackwall  frigates  both  before  and 
after  her  time,  and  is  a  proof  of  the  close  resemblance 
they  bore  to  frigates  of  the  Royal  Navy. 

Owen  Glendower  and  Vernon  were  both  launched  with 
side  paddles,  but  the  machinery  did  not  prove  a  success 
and  it  was  removed  before  sailing. 

Both  ships  were  put  on  the  Australian  run  during  the 
gold  rush.  Below  I  give  an  Australian  shipping 
advertisement  from  the  Melbourne  Herald  of  5th  March, 
I860:— 

BLACKWALL  LINE  OF  PACKETS 
For  LONDON  Direct. 
To  sail  with  strict  punctuality  on  Thursday, 
22nd  March. 
The  favourite  frigate-built  ship, 
OWE}^   GLENDOWER 
1200  tons,  Henry  Thomas  Dickenson,  commander. 
(Belonging  to  Messrs.  Green,  of  Blackwall) 
The  Oweti  Glendower,  which  is  generally  allowed  to  be  one  of  the 
most   comfortable   ships   of    the    Blackwall    Fleet,  will    be    positively 
despatched  for  London  direct  at  the  above  mentioned  dale. 

Her  thorough  sea-worthiness  was  tested  under  adverse  circumstances 
in  the  gale  which  proved  fatal  to  the  Royal  Charter,  on  which  occasion 
she  weathered  the  storm  without  suffering  any  damage  whatever 
and  arrived  in  Hobson's  Bay  after  a  very  successful  passage. 

Chief  C.\bin. 
The  cabins  in  the  first  class  are  of  that  superior  order  which  has 
gained  for  the  vessels  of  the  Blackwall  Line  the  reputation  of  bemg  the 


156  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

most  comfortable  passenger  ships  afloat.       They  are  remarkable  for 
their  unusual  height  between  decks,  and  are  admirably  adapted  to  suit 
the  convenience  of  famihes.      A  milch  cow  is  placed  on  board. 
Second  Cabin. 
The  berths  in  the  second-class  department  are  more  than  usually 
spacious,  and  the  distribution  of  provisions  will  be  on  an  exceedingly 
liberal  scale.       Arrangements  have  been  made  for  providing  passengers 
in  this  class  with  the  regular  attendance  of  stewards.       The  provisions 
enumerated  in  the  dietary  scale  will  include  a  liberal  supply  of  ale, 
porter  or  spirits  and  a  weekly  allowance  of  wine. 
Third  Cabin. 
The  third-class  passengers  will  be  supplied  with  a  hberal  variety  of 
the  best  provisions,  and  will  find  that  the  cabins  set  apart  for  their  use 
are   lofty,  commodious    and    judiciously    fitted    up.     The    advertised 
sailing   appointments   will   be  adhered    to   with    the   same   degree   of 
punctuality  which  has  hitherto  been  observed. 

Boats  are  in  attendance  at  the  Railway  Pier,  Sand  ridge,  to  convey 
intending  passengers  to  the  ship  for  the  purpose  of  inspection.     Free 
orders  to  be  obtained  from  the  undersigned. 
A  surgeon  accompanies  the  ship. 

Fares. 

First  Cabin  Per  Agreement 

Second  Cabin        .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . .        £35 

(Including  stewards'  attendance). 

Third  Cabin  £18  to  £25 

(Including  stewards  attendance). 
For  plans  of  cabins  and  second  and  third  class  dietary  scales,   apply 

to— 

W.  P.  White  &  Co.,  Agents, 

10  Elizabeth  Street  South,  Melbourne. 

This  advertisement  is  the  last  notice  of  her  under  the 
Blaekwall  flag,  for  the  Greens  sold  her  when  she  arrived 
home. 

Of  her  sister  ships  the  Earl  of  Hardwicke  was  wrecked 
on  the  coast  of  South  Africa  in  1863,  whilst  the  Vernon 
became  a  reformatory  ship  in  Sydney  harbour. 

In  1894,  the  Vernon  was  purchased  by  a  Mr.  Rae  for 
breaking  up  purposes,  but  whilst  she  was  being  dis- 
mantled a  fire  broke  out  aboard.  Near  her,  in  Kerosene 
Bay,   lay  another  hulk,   the  old  Golden  South.       The 


Lent  by  F.  G.  Lai/ton. 


"OWEN  GLENDOWEE. 


"  PRINCE  OF  WALES." 


trom  an  ola  Lithograph. 


[To  face  Page  156. 


A   MIDSHIPMAN'S   LOG  157 

sparks  from  the  Vernon  blew  over  the  Golden  South,  and 
both  ships  were  soon  blazing  so  furiously  that  they  lit 
up  the  whole  harbour  all  that  night. 

The   "Agincourt." — A   Midshipman's   Log. 

It  will  be  noticed  in  the  list  of  Blackwall  frigates, 
given  in  the  Appendix,  that  the  owners  of  the  Blackwall 
Yard  were  very  fond  of  building  ships  in  pairs,  one  of 
the  ships  going  to  Green  and  the  other  to  Wigram. 

In  1841  they  built  the  Agincourt  for  Green  and  the 
Southampton  for  Money  Wigram.  These  two  ships 
were  also  after  the  model  of  the  Seringapatam — good, 
wholesome  10-knot  frigates. 

The  following  notes  from  a  midshipman's  log  of  a 
voyage  in  the  Agincourt  to  Melbourne  and  back  in 
1861-2  may  be  of  interest.  She  was  commanded  by 
the  well-known  Captain  George  Tickell,  one  of  the  old 
sort,  who  could  not  be  called  a  hard  sail  carrier.  Our 
mid  begins  by  listing  the  cuddy  passengers,  adding  a 
thumbnail  description  of  each  in  pencil.  I  have  some- 
what disguised  the  names,  as  follows: — 

Mrs.  Jayes. — Fat,  fair  and  fifty. 

The  Misses  Jayes.— Mary,  benevolent;  Ellen,  buxom;  Kate,  bashful 
very  !  !    Annie,  beautiful  !  !  ! 

Mr.  John  Jayes.— Carrotty  stick,  withal  a  decent  fellow. 

Mr.  Cornflower. — Red-nosed  old  sinner — first  rate  old  dog. 

Mrs.  Desmond  and  Child. — Jolly  woman;  pretty  child. 

Mr.  Clowes. — Fat  counter-jumper,  good  tempered  and  jolly. 

Miss  Houghton. — Fanatical,  happy  in  dancing  (would  not  put  her 

lights  out.) 
Rev.  Fred  Nason. — Best  clergyman  ever  went  to  sea. 

The  Agincourt  left  the  East  India  Dock  on  6th  October, 
1861,  in  tow  of  the  steam  tug  Robert  Bruce.  At  4  p.m. 
she  came  to  anchor  off  Gravesend  in  8  fathoms ;  mustered 
the  ship's  company,  squared  yards  and  piped  down. 

The  following  day  was  employed  in  taking  in  livestock 


158  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

and  preparing  for  sea.  The  captain  and  passengers 
came  on  board,  and  at  noon  the  surgeon  inspected  the 
ship.  At  1  p.m.  on  the  8th  the  anchor  was  hove  up 
and  the  Agincourt  again  taken  in  tow  by  the  Scotia,  but 
they  were  obliged  to  anchor  for  some  hours  in  the  Lower 
Hope  owing  to  thick  fog.  At  2  a.m.  they  proceeded, 
only  to  anchor  again  at  1.80  p.m.  on  the  9th  in  Margate 
Roads,  where  a  heavy  thunderstorm  with  vivid  lightning 
and  heavy  rain  was  experienced.  At  6  a.m.  on  11th 
October,  the  anchor  was  once  more  at  the  bows,  and  the 
Agincourt  proceeded  round  the  Foreland  before  a  light 
easterly  wind.  That  evening  the  royal  yards  were 
sent  aloft  and  crossed  and  the  sails  set.  At  3  p.m.  they 
were  off  Dungeness,  off  Beachy  Head  at  7.30  p.m.  and 
passed  St.  Catherine's  at  1  a.m. 

With  the  wind  increasing  and  drawing  through  south 
to  west,  in  squalls,  sail  had  to  be  reduced. 

Off  the  Wight  the  main  topgalhmt  sail  was  taken  in, 
and  the  topsails  double  reefed.  A  hard  puff  split  the 
jib.  At  5  a.m.  the  mainsail  was  reefed,  and  third  reefs 
taken  in  the  topsails. 

It  was  now  a  beat  down  Channel,  the  wind  being 
strong  at  S.W.  Between  the  Wight  and  Plymouth, 
Captain  Tickell  wore  his  ship  five  times  and  tacked  once, 
coming  to  anchor  in  Plymouth  Sound  at  11  a.m.,  13th 
October.  The  Agincourt  left  Plymouth  on  ICtli 
October  and,  keeping  well  to  the  eastward,  sighted 
Porto  Santo,  Palma  and  Teneriffe. 

On  31st  October  she  exchanged  signals  with  the  Great 
Britain,  bound  to  Melbourne  from  Liverpool.  In 
these  early  logs  it  is  very  noticeable  how  much  more 
shipping  was  to  be  met  with  than  in  later  logs.  In 
the  North  Atlantic  ships,  barques,  brigs  and  schooners 
were  daily  met  or  passed.      British  brigs  were  specially 


A   MIDSHIPMAN'S   LOG  159 

plentiful.  "Exchanged  colors  with"  was  a  constant 
entry,  and  I  notice  that  "colours"  was  always  spelt 
without  the  "u"  in  these  old  logs,  so  perhaps  the 
Americans  have  some  right  on  their  side  when  they 
leave  out  the  "u"  in  such  words. 

The  line  was  crossed  on  17th  November  in  27°  26'  W. 
The  AgincourV s  best  run  up  to  that  date  was  209  miles 
before  a  fresh  N.E.  trade.  She  crossed  the  Greenwich 
meridian  in  41°  S.  on  7th  December,  and  went  no 
further  than  43°  S.  in  running  her  easting  down.  Agin- 
courV s  best  run  was  made  on  6th  January,  1862,  in 
41°  53'  S.,  123°  24'  E.,  before  a  steady  and  fresh  N.W. 
breeze.  Her  best  log  reading  was  10.4  knots.  She 
anchored  in  Hobson's  Bay  on  16th  January,  92  days 
out  from  Plymouth,  and  102  from  the  East  India  Docks. 

The  homeward  passage  was  without  incident.  Agin- 
court  passed  through  Port  Phillip  Heads  on  18th  March. 
On  her  run  to  the  Horn  her  best  24  hours  was  237  miles, 
and  her  best  speed  logged  10.4  knots.  The  usual  ice- 
bergs were  passed  and  on  17th  x\pril  in  53°  54'  S.,  97°  59' 
W,,  she  was  hove  to  on  the  port  tack  under  close-reefed 
fore  and  main  topsails  for  20  hours  in  a  fresh  N.E.  gale. 
The  Horn  was  rounded  on  22nd  April,  35  days  out. 
The  line  was  crossed  on  26th  May.  Dover  Castle ,  88 
days  out  from  Melbourne,  spoken  on  26th  June  in  45** 
56'  N.,  18°  37'  W.,  and  the  Lizard  sighted  on  1st  July. 
On  3rd  July  comes  the  last  entry  :— "3  a.m.,  arrived  off 
Blackwall  Pier;  4,  made  all  fast  in  E.I.  Docks.  Piped 
to  grog." 

The  last  entry  in  a  Blackwaller's  log  book  was 
invariably  "Piped  to  grog."  No  doubt  it  was  much 
preferred  by  the  ship's  company  to  that  laconic  "That'll 
do,  men, "  which  gave  a  period  to  the  voyage  of  the 
more  modern  sailing  ship. 


160  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

♦♦  Prince  of  Wales  "  and  '♦  Queen  "—Armed 
Merchantmen. 

The  two  sister  ships  Prince  of  Wales  and  Queen 
marked  the  next  great  advance  in  ship  designing  by  the 
owners  of  the  Blackwall  Yard.  At  their  lannch  these 
two  vessels  were  considered  to  be  the  finest  examples  of 
armed  merchantmen  that  had  ever  been  built.  They 
were  pierced  for  50  guns  and  ranked  with  50 -gun  frigates, 
to  which  they  bore  a  very  close  resemblance.  They  were 
specially  fitted  for  troops .  They  were  also  flush  decked— 
this  being  considered  a  great  attraction  for  passengers  as 
providing  a  "delightful  promenade. "  A  further  attrac- 
tion for  first-class  passengers  was  a  "ladies'  boudoir." 

In  size  and  appearance  they  were  a  return  to  the 
grandeur  of  the  old  John  Company's  East  Indiamen. 
To  modern  eyes  their  'tween  decks  would  have  appeared 
very  low  and  dark,  their  bows  very  apple -cheeked, 
their  channels  vast  platforms  and  their  sterns  lumpy 
and  heavy,  yet  these  old  frigates  were  by  no  means  slow, 
especially  in  light  winds.  In  1860  I  find  the  Prince  of 
Wales  with  a  crew  of  78  men  and  120  passengers  making 
the  passage  out  to  Hobson's  Bay  in  77  days. 

As  wooden  merchantmen,  capable  of  being  converted 
in  a  moment  to  warships,  the  Prince  of  Wales  and 
Queen  ranked  with  Smith's  Blenheim  and  Marlborough 
and  Green's  Monarch.  They  were  built  with  the 
scantling  of  frigates  of  war,  and  compared  favourably 
with  any  ship  of  their  date  produced  in  the  Royal 
dockyards. 

The  Prince  of  Wales  was  sold  in  1864. 

•♦Bucephalus"    and    "Ellenborough." 

T.  &  W.  Smith's  rivals  to  the  Prince  of  Wales 
and  Quien  were  the  two  fine  1000-ton  ships  Bucephalus 


T.   &  W.  SMITH'S  SHIPS  161 

and  Ellenboroucih.  These  ships  were  designed  by  the 
well-known  Charles  Laing,  of  Sunderland.  They  had 
square  ports  on  both  main  and  lower  decks,  12  of  a  side 
on  the  main  and  14  on  the  lower  deek. 

The  registered  dimensions  of  the  Ellenborough  were 
159.6  ft.  length,  34.5  ft.  beam,  and  23  ft.  depth.  She 
was  eventually  sold  to  George  Marshall  and  long  out- 
lived her  sister  ship,  being  still  in  the  India  trade  in 
the  seventies. 

"Gloriana"  and  "Tudor." 

These  two  ships  were  improved  upon  in  1843, 
when  Messrs.  Smith  launched  the  Gloriana  of  1057  tons, 
followed  in  1844  by  her  sister  ship  the  Tudor.  Im- 
provements in  design  are  rather  hard  to  distinguish; 
they  were  confined  chiefly  to  the  bow  and  stern  lines, 
whilst  the  relations  of  length  to  beam  and  depth  showed 
little  alteration,  shipbuilding  in  the  forties  being  very 
conservative  in  this  respect. 

The  Lordly  "Monarch." 

All  the  above  ships  were  outclassed  by  Greens' 
Monarch,  of  1444  tons,  the  first  ship  built  by  Green 
after  the  dividing  of  the  yard.  Mr.  George  Green  had 
already  retired  in  1838,  and  the  firm  was  now  entirely 
in  the  hands  of  the  two  brothers,  Richard  and  Henry 
Green,  whilst  a  third  brother,  Frederick,  did  their 
broking  for  them. 

The  lordly  Monarch  is  thus  described  in  the  Illustrated 
London  News  of  15th  .Tune,  1844: — 

This  splendid  mercantile  frigate  was  launched  on  Saturday  from  Mr. 
Green's  yard  at  Blackwall.  The  Monarch  is  1400  tons  burthen;  length 
of  keel  168  feet;  length  overall  180  feet;  depth  from  upper  deck  to 
keelson,  32  feet.  The  breadth  of  her  beam  is  40  feet,  and  it  is  only  in 
this  particular  that  she  is  inferior  to  the  first-class  frigates  of  H.M.  Navy. 

She  has  an  entire  fiush  deck  fore  and  aft  ;  is  pierced  for  50  guns,  and 
M 


162  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

capable  of  carrying  a  greater  number,  for  besides  16  ports  on  a  side  npon 
the  main  deck  there  is  also  an  equal  number  of  large  scuttles  on  the 
lower  deck. 

Her  timbers  and  plankinti;  are  chiefly  of  teak  ;  the  planks  next  the 
keel  are  American  elm  5  inches  thick,  above  this  is  teak  to  the  whales, 
which  are  formed  of  African  oak:  the  topsides  are  entirely  of  teak, 
and  her  bitts,  capstan  and  most  of  the  interior  work  are  of  the  same 
wood. 

There  are  12  cabins,  averaging  11  feet  by  10  each,  and  a  dining-room 
36  feet  by  18  on  the  main  deck,  the  fore  part  of  which  is  bulkheaded  oti 
for  the  crew  accommodation. 

The  lower  deck  has  18  cabins  (making  30  in  all)  of  similar  dimensions, 
the  two  after  ones  being  the  largest,  18  by  16  feet  each,  with  stern 
v/indows.      Before  the  lower  deck  cabins  is  a  roomy  .space  for  troops. 

Captain  W.  H.  Walker  took  her  from  the  stocks  and 
commanded  her  for  many  years. 

In  1876  the  old  Monarch  was  po.sted  on  the  missing 
list  when  bound  from  Bombay  to  Rangoon. 

The  *♦  Alfred,"  Lecky's  First  Ship. 

The  next  big  ship  was  the  Alfred,  launched  in 
1845.  Tradition  relates  that  she  was  built  to  be  a 
36-gun  frigate  in  the  Royal  Navy,  but  that  the  Admir- 
alty changed  their  minds  and  sold  her  to  Messrs.  Green 
whilst  on  the  stocks.  At  any  rate  she  carried  six  guns, 
which  were  always  supposed  to  be  some  of  those  intended 
for  her  by  the  Admiralty.  In  the  manning  report  of 
1849  the  Alfred,  with  a  crew  of  90  men  including 5  mates, 
3  boatswains,  and  2  carpenters,  earned  the  recommenda- 
tion of  the  Government  as  an  example  of  a  well -manned 
ship. 

Two  years  later,  that  most  celebrated  seaman, 
Lecky  of  Wrinkles,  started  his  sea  life  as  a  midshipman 
on  the  Alfred  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years.  Lecky  only 
went  one  voyage,  then,  without  his  mother's  knowledge, 
he  left  Green's  employ  and  went  off  to  Liverpool  in  order 
to  get  rid  of  brass  buttons  and  be  able  to  dabble  his 


BARHAM." 


From  an  old  Litlwijrajih. 


MONARCH." 


From  an  old  Lithograph. 


[To  face  Page  162. 


THE   ALFRED  163 

Iiaiids  in  the  tar  bucket.  In  fact,  even  at  that  age,  he 
wanted  a  more  strenuous  and  less  easy  life.  Yet  he 
always  had  a  tender  memory  of  those  what  he  called 
"almost  pre-historic  times  when  the  frigate-built 
Indiamen  of  Green,  Wigram,  Smith  and  Dunbar  entered 
the  Blackwall  Docks  in  all  their  glory,  with  yards  and 
gunports  squared  to  a  nicety,  bunt-jiggers  bowsed  up  for 
a  harbour  furl,  studding  sail  booms  rigged  out  to  the 
mark,  hammock  nettings  neatly  stowed  and  a  welcom- 
ing crowd  of  both  sexes  cheering  and  waving  greetings 
from  the  pierheads." 

In  the  late  fifties  when  homeward  bound  from  the 
Bay  of  Bengal,  the  Alfred  had  a  narrow  escape  from 
being  burnt  at  sea;  in  fact,  the  passage  was  an  exciting 
one  from  start  to  finish.  In  the  Bay  of  Bengal  after 
contending  with  six  weeks  of  head  winds,  the  Alfred  had 
to  turn  tail  to  a  cyclone  and  lost  in  48  hours  of  mad 
scudding  all  that  she  had  made  in  this  beat  to  windward. 
Having  survived  the  cyclone,  she  next  had  to  fight  with 
fire,  that  most  dreaded  of  all  sea  perils  for  wooden  ships. 

The  Alfred  was  carrying  troops,  and  the  watch  below 
had  to  keep  below,  as  she  was  battened  down  so  as  to 
smother  the  fire — but  these  wretched  troops  nearly 
suffered  suffocation  as  well,  the  heat  being  beyond  any 
"hot  weather"  they  had  experienced  in  India.  However 
the  fire  was  got  out  and  the  Alfred  at  length  got  into 
soundings.  Here  a  hard  east  wind  was  encountered 
and  she  took  another  month  of  zig-zagging  wearily 
back  and  forth  across  the  Channel  before  she  landed  her 
hard -tried  troops. 

In  these  days  when  every  memory  of  the  old  sailing 
ships  is  treasured  by  those  who  have  served  in  sail, 
pictures  of  them  are  sought  after  in  the  most  out  of  the 
way  places.       A  friend  of  mine  made  a  speciality  of 


164  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

collecting  the  lids  of  old  sea  chests,  which  were  adorned 
by  foc's'le  portraits,  painted  with  the  scrapings  from 
the  ship's  paint  pots.  One  day  to  his  great  delight  he 
heard  of  what  was  said  to  be  a  very  fine  representation  of 
the  Alfred  on  the  lid  of  a  sea  chest.  With  infinite  pains 
and  some  expense  he  at  last  tracked  down  the  widow  of 
the  old  seaman  to  whom  the  chest  had  belonged.  On 
reaching  her  cottage,  lie  at  once  asked  her  if  she  had  an 
old  chest. 

She  replied : — 

"Yes,  I  still  have  my  husband's  old  sea  chest."  He 
asked  how  much  to  buy  it.  She  told  him  he  could  have 
a  look  at  it.  That  he  was  not  the  first  to  want  to  buy 
it,  but  that  she  had  recently  had  it  cleaned  up  and  so 
wanted  a  good  price  for  it,  being  of  camphor  wood. 

She  took  him  up  to  her  attic  and  there  stood  the  sea 
chest.  Eagerly  and  with  surpressed  excitement  he 
opened  it,  then  fell  back  with  disappointment,  for  the 
lid  was  bright  with  new  varnish,  and  there  were  no  signs 
of  the  celebrated  old  Alfred. 

"I  thought  there  was  a  painting  of  a  ship  on  the  lid  ?  " 
he  questioned  in  disgust. 

"Yes,"  replied  the  woman,  "there  was.  But  it  was 
so  grimy  that  I  got  the  carpenter  to  plane  it  oft'  when  he 
repaired  the  chest. "     Curtain  ! 

During  her  last  years  under  Green's  flag,  the  Alfred 
was  commanded  by  Captain  George  Tickell.  Her  last 
voyage  of  which  I  have  any  record  was  to  Australia  and 
back  in  1862-3. 

On  5th  August  she  left  the  East  India  Docks  for 
Melbourne  in  tow  of  the  well-known  tugs,  Robert  Bruce 
and  Robert  Burns.  She  passed  the  emigration  in- 
spection and  took  on  board  passengers  and  live  stock 
at  Gravesend  on  the  following  day. 


THE  ALFRED  165 

On  15th  August  the  Lizard  lights  bore  N.E.  by  E. 
Keeping  well  to  the  eastward  on  her  run  to  the  line,  she 
had  very  light  winds,  sighting  the  Desertas  on  25th 
August,  and  Palma  on  27th  August.  On  the  28th  she 
took  the  N.E.  trades,  and  on  the  following  day  signalled 
the  tea  clipper  Chrysolite. 

As  a  proof  that  these  frigate-built  Blackwallers  were 
by  no  means  slow  when  compared  with  other  ships  of 
their  time,  the  Alfred  kept  in  company  with  the 
Chrysolite  from  29th  August  to  7th  September,  from 
lat.  23°  18'  N.,  long.  21°  34' W.  to  lat.  9°40'N.,  long. 
25°  4'  W.  Two  other  tea  ships  were  spoken  by  the 
Alfred  on  her  run  to  the  line,  the  Fiery  Cross,  82  days 
out  from  Foochow  on  4th  September,  and  the  Robin  Hood 
105  days  out  from  Foochow  on  11th  September.  Other 
sailing  ships  of  every  description  of  rig  were  constantly 
in  company,  as  many  as  eight  ships  being  in  sight  at  once 
on  21st  August. 

On  20th  September,  the  Alfred  crossed  the  line  in 
26°  W.,  46  days  out.  She  crossed  the  meridian  of 
Greenwich  in  37°  49'  S.,  on  9fch  October.  Her  best 
run,  265  miles,  Avas  made  on  28th  Octob*2r  in  41°  41'  S., 
75°  53'  E. ;   her  best  speed  logged  being  10.4  knots. 

On  8th  November  at  nooiA  a  midshipman  named 
Reynolds  fell  overboard  from  the  foc's'le  head.  The 
ship  was  going  9  knots  before  a  strong  westerly  wind. 
The  flying  jib,  royals,  fore  topgallant  sail  and  staysails 
were  immediately  taken  in,  the  mainyard  backed  and 
the  starboard  lifeboat  lowered.  At  1.30  p.m.  the  main 
topgallant  sail  was  handed  and  the  port  lifeboat  sent 
after  the  starboard  one. 

The  midshipman  was  sighted  by  the  boats,  struggling 
to  protect  his  face  and  eyes  from  the  attacks  of  albat- 
rosses and  mollyhawks,  Cape  hens  and  the  many  other 


166  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

kinds  of  sea  birds,  so  numerous  in  the  Southern  Ocean, 
but  before  the  boats  could  get  up  to  him  he  had  sunk, 
and  it  was  the  opinion  of  those  in  the  boats  that  the 
sea  birds  had  been  the  cause  of  his  death.  At  2.30  p.m. 
the  boats  returned  and  the  ship  was  put  on  her  course. 

Curiously  enough,  this  midshipman  Reynolds  fell 
overboard  from  the  Agincourt  on  1st,  May,  1802,  in 
44**  S.,  49°  W.  This  time  it  was  7.30  a.m.,  a  strong 
head  wind  was  bloAving  with  a  heavy  sea,  and  in  heaving 
to  the  main  topgallant  yard  was  carried  away.  Rey- 
nolds was  very  lucky  in  being  picked  up,  for  before  noon 
on  that  da}'  the  ship  was  lying  hove  to  under  close-reefed 
fore  topsail  and  main  topsail  in  a  strong  gale. 

To  return  to  the  Alfred,  she  arrived  in  Hobson's 
Bay  on  16th  November,  93  days  out  from  the  Lizard. 

She  went  to  Sydney  for  her  homeward  bound 
passengers.  An  epitome  of  her  log  from  Sydney  to 
London  reads  as  follows : — 

13th  February,  1863. — Noon,  up  anchor  and  were  taken  in  tow  by 
steam  tug  Bungaree.  2  p.m.,  passed  through  the  Heads  and  made  all 
plain  sail.     3  p.m.,  cast  off  the  steamer.      Li'^'ht  easterly  breeze. 

4th  March.— Lat.  53"  30'  S.,  long.  140'  .'S'  W.  10  p.m.,  fresh  N.W. 
breeze  with  very  thick  fog.  In  main  royal  and  flying  jib.  Speed 
9  knots.  11.30  p.m.,  an  iceberg  close  tn  on  starboard  bow,  luffed  up 
and  just  cleared  it,  the  ship's  side  scraping  the  ice.  Shortened  sail  to 
topsails  and  jib. 

9th  and  10th  March. — \  great  number  of  icebergs  passed  in  52'  S., 
120' to  115°  W. 

19th  March. — I'assed  Cape  Horn,  34  days  out. 

13th  April.— 20"  W  S..  29'  44'  W.  Sisrnalled  ship  CoMstteam 
standing  to  southard.      Sighted  I.sland  of  Trinidada. 

25th  April. — Crossed  equator  in  30"  49'  W.,  37  days  from  Cape 
Horn.  4  p.m.,  signalled  and  were  pas.sed  by  Sardinian  polacca  barque, 
Correo,  Monte  Video  to  Genoa,  20  days  out.  6  a.m.,  signalled  and 
were  passed  by  British  ship  Sussex,  Melbourne  to  London,  63  days. 
Noon,  light  east  breeze  and  fine.     Sussex  hull  down  on  port  bow. 

2nd  May.— Lat.  13°  50'  N.,  long.  42"  26'  \V.  Fresh  N.E.  trade. 
Washed  the  gun  deck  and  lower  dock. 


THE  MARLBOROUGH  167 

4th  May. — Hove  to  and  boarded  the  British  brig  Volants.  Liverpool 
to  Porto  Rico  out  32  days,  for  sugar,  etc. 

10th  May.— Daybreak,  ship  Sussex  on  port  bow.  9.30  a.m.,  hovs 
to  and  boarded  ship  Sussex  for  wine;  was  supplied.  1 1  a^m..  up  boat, 
filled  and  stood  on.     Sunset,  Sussex  topsails  down  ahead. 

28th  May. — Passed  and  signalled  several  ships,  including  Vtctoiy. 
Whampoa  to  London,  120  days  out. 

30th  May. — 8  a.m.,  Lizard  N.X.E.,  spoke  Sussex.  Copenhagen  on 
lee  bow. 

1st  June.— Several  passengers  left  ship  in  a  Deal  lugger. 

The  Alfred  was  106  days  to  the  Lizard  and  the  Sussex, 
which  was  Wigram's  Blackwallcr,  98  days. 

♦♦Marlborough's"  Fast  Voyage  to  Australia. 

T.  &  W.  Smith  were  not  long  in  replying  to  the 
gauge  tlirown  down  by  Green  and  VVigram,  when  they 
built  the  splendid  frigates,  Prince  of  IT  ales,  Queen  and 
Monarch. 

Indeed,  by  building  the  Marlborough  and  Blenheim 
the  Smiths  strained  every  effort  to  excel  the  perroct 
work  of  the  Blackwall  Yard,  and  it  was  generally 
conceded  at  the  launch  of  the  Marlborough  in  1846  that 
they  had  succeeded,  whilst  at  the  Great  Exhibition  of 
1851  the  Marlborough  and  Blenheim  were  presented  with 
silk  ensigns  and  house-flags  as  being  the  finest  ships  in 
the  British  Merchant  Marine.  These  two  ships  were 
specially  surveyed  by  the  Government  and  reported  as 
frigates  fit  for  carrying  armaments.  Though  strength 
and  solidity  were  considered  of  the  first  importance  in 
their  construction,  yet  the  voyage  of  the  Marlborough 
in  1853  shows  that  they  were  by  no  means  heavy  sailors. 

Owing  to  the  rush  to  Australia  in  that  year  both  the 
Marlborough  and  the  Blenheim  were  taken  off  the  Indian 
run  and  sent  out  to  Melbourne.  The  Marlborough 
left  London  with  325  passengers  and  arrived  in  Hobson's 
Bay,  78  days  out  from  the  Lizard. 


168  THE  BLACKWALL  FUIGATES 

From  Melbourne  she  made  a  quick  cross  voyage  to 
India  and  back,  and  sailing  from  Port  Phillip  on  the 
4th  July  with  60  passengers  and  72,000  ounces  of  gold, 
valued  at  £288,000,  was  only  83^  days  to  the  Channel. 

This  fine  passage  is  thus  described  in  the  Illustrated 
London  News: 

The  Marlborough  (Allen  W.  Young,  commander)  weighed  from  the 
Port  Phillip  Head,  on  the  evening  of  the  4th  July,  and  passed  out  the 
same  night  through  Bass's  Strait  to  the  westward,  with  a  strong  north- 
west gale,  which  increased  until  6th  July,  at  4  p.m.,  when  it  blew  a 
perfect  hurricane,  and  the  ship  was  in  a  most  perilous  position  ;  whilst 
running  with  the  wind  quarterly,  she  broached  to,  from  a  heavy  sea 
striking  her  on  the  quarter,  the  main  topsail  blew  to  ribbons,  and  the 
ship  was  thrown  almost  upon  her  beam  ends;  the  lee  side  and  lee 
quarter  boat  being  buried  in  the  water.  The  gusts  of  wind  were  also  so 
terrific  that  it  was  impossible  to  stand  against  them,  whilst  the  tops  of 
the  sea  were  blown  completely  over  the  ship.  The  barometer  stood  at 
28.90  during  the  height  of  the  gale.  This  happened  in  lat.  39°  55'  S., 
long.  142°  10'  E.,  off  the  south-west  coast  of  Van  Diemen's  Land. 

On  the  morning  of  6th  August  in  lat.  58°  50'  S.,  long.  80°  26'  W.,  a 
huge  iceberg  was  seen  ahead,  the  ship  passing  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
to  leeward.  The  thermometer  fell  to  29°  Fahrenheit,  when  the 
Marlborough  was  close  to  the  berg,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  she 
steered  clear  of  the  large  loose  pieces  of  ice  that  were  floating  around 
the  mass.  The  height  is  stated  at  about  525  feet;  length  half  a  mile; 
north  side  abrupt  and  bold;  lee  or  south  side,  undulated  surface  and 
opaque,  resembling  frozen  snow.  The  wind  was  blowing  fresh  from  the 
N.N.W.,  and  the  sea  was  moderately  rough.  The  sky  was  cloudy- 
and  the  temperature,  when  about  two  miles  from  the  berg,  not  very 
cold,  the  thermometer  being  at  32°.  The  iceberg  was  visible  from  the 
deck  of  the  ship  about  three  hours.  The  Marlborough  passed  Cape 
Horn  on  the  8th  August,  and  experienced  strong  gales  until  in  lat.  35° 
south.  She  passed  the  tropic  of  Capricorn  30th  August,  and  arrived  in 
the  Channel  on  the  26th  September,  thus  making  the  rapid  passage 
from  the  southern  tropic  of  27  days;  and  83^-  to  Start  Point.  The 
ship  had  an  entire  Lascar  crew  (the  first  Lascars  who  had  ever  been 
round  Cape  Horn);  and  there  is  little  doubt  that,  had  the  crew  been 
European,  the  voyage  would  have  been  accomplished  in  a  week  less 
time. 

This  is  a  passenger's  account,  as  one  can  readily  see. 
It    is   the   earliest   account   of  Lascars  in  the  roarini' 


MAKLBUJvUUGH. 


From  an  old  Litho(jraph. 


[To  face  Page  16S. 


A  RACE  TO  INDIA 


169 


forties  that  I  have  come  across.  Whether  it  was  an 
experiment  of  her  celebrated  commander  or  of  her 
owners  I  have  been  unable  to  find  out. 

The  Marlborough,  like  many  another  Blackwaller, 
ended  her  days  as  a  coal  hulk,  and  until  1888,  when 
she  was  broken  up,  she  was  a  familiar  sight  at  Gibraltar, 
the  last  anchorage  of  so  many  celebrated  ships. 


A  Race  to  India  in  1853. 

It  may  be  wondered  how  the  Blackwall  frigates 
made  passages  which  were  as  good  as  those  of  the 
clippers.  The  truth  is  that  their  captains  had  not  only 
their  own  experience  of  winds  and  weather,  but  that  also 
of  nearly  150  years  of  carefully  preserved  East  India 
voyages  to  go  upon.  They  knew  all  that  Maury  was 
able  to  discover,  but  they  had  to  consider  their  slower, 
more  leeward ly,  ships  where  Maury  was  advising  the 
captains  of  close-winded  clippers.  The  Blackwallers, 
though  quite  fast  in  medium  and  light  winds,  were  only 
10-knotters  in  winds  which  would  send  Maury's  clippers 
along  at  the  rate  of  15  and  more.  Thus  it  was  the  old 
East  India  captain's  custom  to  keep  well  to  the  east- 
ward on  the  passage  from  the  Channel  to  the  line,  for  he 
had  a  very  wholesome  dread  of  being  back-strapped  or 
set  to  leeward  of  Cape  San  Roque. 

The  following  passages  from  Cork  to  the  Sandheads 
in  1853  are  therefore  of  interest  as  bearing  out  the 
East  India  captain's  contention: — 


Ship 

Owner 

Left 
Cork 

Crossed  the  line 
on       in  long. 

Crossed 

Cape 
Meridian 

Arrived 
Sand- 
heads 

Days 
out 

Southampton 
liarham 

ComperJouH 
Collingwooii 

Wigram 
Green 
>» 
Dunbar 

June  30 

July     1 

2 

"        2 

July  31     13°30'W. 

„     30     19°        W. 

„     31  1  19°        W. 

Aug.  12  j  20°30'W. 

8  1  22°        W. 

Aug.  19 
.,      21 
„      20 

Sept.   6 
6 

Sept.  29 
„      29 
„      29 

Oct.  11 
„      19 

91 

90 

89 

101 

107 

170  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Of  these  five  ships,  the  Southampton  was  disposed  of 
bv  Monev  Wigram  in  1863.  Green  sold  the  Barham 

about  the  same  date.  In  1873  she  was  still  trading  to 
India,  owned  by  J.  Prowse,  of  London,  but  a  year  later 
she  had  disappeared  from  the  register.  The  Wcllesleif 
was  sold  to  Vanee  Gooloo,  of  Calcutta,  in  1876,  and 
became  a  "country  ship."  The  Cainperdown  was  sold 
to  H.  Andrews,  of  London,  and  eventually  was  run 
down  and  sunk  in  the  Atlantic  by  the  ss.  lorva,  when 
owned  by  Haley,  of  Sydney,  C.B.,  whilst  Colliyigwood 
disappeared  before  the  seventies. 

The  Burning  of  the  "Sutlej." 

Another  Blackwaller  of  1847,  Green's  Sutlcj,  was 
one  ofthe  four  ships  lost  under  the  well-known  house-flag. 
She  w^as  destroyed  by  fire  in  January,  1850,  when  she 
was  about  to  leave  Calcutta,  homeward  bound,  with  a 
cargo  of  saltpetre  and  jute.  The  jute  became  ignited 
by  spontaneous  combustion,  and  after  smouldering  all 
night  burst  into  flames  in  the  morning  when  the  luitches 
were  opened.  Loud  explosions  took  place  as  soon  as 
the  fire  reached  the  saltpetre  in  the  hold ;  and  these  so 
terrified  the  crew  that  most  of  them  jumped  overboard, 
five  being  drowned. 

The  "Blenheim"  in  a  Cyclone. 

Marlborough's  sister  ship  the  Blenheim  was  very 
nearly  lost  in  a  cyclone  in  1867,  and  was  so  strained 
and  damaged  that  she  had  a  very  big  repair  bill. 

The  following  account  was  given  to  the  late  Captain 
Whall  by  one  of  her  officers,  and  is  so  interesting  and 
curious  that  I  have  taken  the  libertv  of  quoting  it  in 
full  :— 

Vv^e  had  discharged  part  of  our  cargo  at  Madras  and  were  bound  to 
Calcutta !    but,   on   the   passage   up,   wc   ran  into   a  hurricane,  which 


BLENHEIM  IN  A  CYa.ONE  171 

finished  the  career  of  the  good  old  Blenheim,  though  she  reached  Calcutta 
in  safety.  In  brief,  it  came  on  vrorse  and  worse,  till,  in  the  height  of  the 
storm,  she  suddenly  went  on  her  beam  ends.  This  was  her  position: 
passengers  all  down  below  paralysed  with  fear.  Captain— well— he 
lost  his  nerve— and  there  we  were  without  a  leader.  It  seemed  to  be 
only  a  question  of  minutes  ere  she  foundered  with  all  hands.  I  was 
only  a  young  officer  and  scarcely  realised  our  position  :  these  terrific 
storms  beat  all  sense  and  feeling  out  of  one.  Well,  I  came  across  the 
boatswain,  with  whom  I  had  been  very  friendly  on  the  voyage. 

"  Look  here,  Mr.  Murdoch,"  (I  withhold  his  real  name),  he  roared  in 
my  ear,  for  that  is  the  only  way  3'ou  can  speak  to  anyone  in  the 
height  of  a  hurricane.  "  Them  h'officers  is  all  dazed.  Come  along 
o"  me  and  we'll  save  her  yet." 

"  All  right."  I  cried  in  answer,  recovering  my  senses  now  I  had  got 
a  leader. 

He  scrambled  along,  I  following,  till  he  reached  the  carpenter's 
berth.  It  was  tenantless.  He  groped  about  and  presently  cried, 
"  Here!  catch  a  hold!  "  and  I  found  an  axe  in  my  fist.      "  Now,  follow!" 

Again  we  scrambled  aft  through  the  howl  and  scurry  of  the  storm. 
At  the  gangway,  abreast  of  the  mainmast,  he  stopped  and  began  to 
climb  out  on  to  the  ship's  upper  side  through  one  of  the  gunports.  Now 
I  knew  what  we  were  going  to  do — cut  away  the  masts— and  without 
orders!     We  clambered  out  on  to  the  channels. 

"  Now.  sir."  he  yelled  in  my  ear.  "  hack  away!  "  We  hacked  ;  but 
it  was  awful  work  out  there,  with  the  flying  spray  and  rain  beating  on  us 
like  whips,  and  the  screaming  hurricane  almost  hurling  us  from  our 
hand-clutch,  whilst  the  great  hull  beneath  us  rolled  and  wallowed  in  the 
seething  waters. 

In  about  ten  minutes  we  had  got  five  of  the  lanyards  cut.  Suddenly 
he  held  my  arm.  "  Look  out  !  "  he  cried,  "  Mind  when  she  rights  !  " 
And  all  in  a  moment  the  black  snakes  of  rigging  seemed  to  be  drawn  up 
swiftly  into  the  dark  heavens — silently,  for  no  sound  could  be  heard  of 
cracking  ropes,  of  ripping  decks  or  breaking  masts — all  was  drowned  in 
the  one  horrible  roar  of  the  storm:  but,  instantly  the  ship's  great  spars, 
rigging  and  all,  vanished.      Slowly  she  began  to  right  herself. 

"  Come  on,"  cried  the  bosun,  and  we  crept  inboard  again.  "  We 
must  take  these  axes  back  and  no  questions  will  be  asked." 

Once  more  we  regained  the  carpenter's  berth.  He  dragged  the 
door  to,  which  shut  out  some  of  the  din,  and,  in  a  comparative  silence, 
he  said  in  my  ear:  "  Now,  sir,  never  you  say  a  word  to  anyone  about 
what  we've  done  !  The  old  packet's  a  proper  wreck  now;  the  whole 
three  sticks  are  gone.  Mind  you  !  No  one  gave  the  order  and  if  we  was 
found  out  there'd  be  the  devil  to  pay,  so  keep  quiet." 

Weil,  it  saved  the  ship.     Had  she  not  been  relieved  of  her  spars, 


172  THE  BLACKVVALL  FRIGATES 

she  would  soon  have  foundered  ;  as  it  was,  wlien  morning  broke  and  the 
hurricane  had  ceased,  we  found  that  she  had  12  feet  of  water  in  the  hold  : 
and  she  still  lay  over  with  her  lee  scuppers  in  the  water,  and  no  wonder, 
for  900  tons  of  railway  bars  in  the  hold  had  gone  over  to  one  side  ; 
that  alone  would  have  destroyed  a  less  strongly  built  ship. 

As  the  storm  decreased,  the  crew  began  to  wake  up.  The  captain 
remarked  that  it  was  a  good  job  the  masts  had  blown  out  of  her  and 
that  it  had  saved  the  ship.  (Bosun  and  I  said  nothing— indeed,  this 
is  the  first  time  anyone  else  has  heard  of  the  affair.) 

We  rigged  jury  masts  and  got  to  port.  Later  on  a  tug  came  and 
towed  us  to  Calcutta,  where  crowds  came  to  see  the  wreck,  the  Governor- 
General  amongst  others. 

T.  &  W.  Smith  sold  the  Blenheim  in  1874,  tlioiigh 
she  was  still  as  tight  as  the  day  she  was  launched. 
She  eventually  became  a  coal  hulk  at  the  Nicobars. 

Dress  on  the  "Trafalgar." 

The  style  of  a  ship  depends  entirely  upon  her 
commander.  The  Blackwallers,  following  in  the  wake 
of  the  lordly  East  Indiamen  of  the  Hon.  John  Company, 
were  no  whit  behind  them  in  their  grand  ways  of  carrying 
on.  "Blackwall  fashion"'  was  a  recognised  term  for 
this  grand  manner. 

Most  of  the  captains  were  exceedingly  particular 
with  regard  to  the  dress  of  their  oHieers.  A  certain 
captain  of  the  Trafalgar  was  one  of  the  few  sailormen 
who  wore  an  eyeglass.  He  was  a  tall,  thin  aristocrat, 
a  prime  sailor  and  seicntihc  navigator,  and  with  all  a 
very  strict  disciplinarian.  As  for  dress,  his  steward 
was  sent  to  inform  the  midshipmen's  berth  every 
morning  as  to  what  dress  they  should  wear  for  the  day, 
whether  blues  or  whites. 

The  following  amusing  anecdote  of  this  man  is  told 
by  W.  I.  Downie  in  his  Reminiscences  of  a  Blaclavall 
Midshipman : — 

I  had  only  two  cloth  caps  with  the  badge  and  band  on  them,  but 
had  three  or  four  more  naval  caps  without  the  glittermg  adornments,  and 


DRESS  ON  THE  TRAFALGAR  173 

nnfortunately,  before  I  had  been  a  month  at  sea,  I  lost  the  two  former 
overboard.  Consequently,  one  morning,  at  eight  bells,  I  was  obliged  to 
go  on  deck  in  a  phiin  cap  to  keep  my  watch.  I  noticed  the  skipper 
looked  very  hard  at  me,  but  put  it  down  to  his  short-sightedness.  At 
last,  however,  after  screwing  his  eyeglass  into  his  eye,  he  came  over  to 
leeward  and  said: — 

"  Are  you  ashamed  of  the  Service,  sir  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,"  I  replied;  "  certainly  not." 

"  Well  then,  why  have  you  not  the  company's  flag  on  your  cap  ?  "* 

I  told  him  both  my  badges  were  overboard. 

"  Then,  sir,"  he  said,  "  go  down  on  the  main  deck,  and  keep  your 
watch  there  ;  I  cannot  have  half-dressed  officers  on  the  poop  of  this 
ship." 

With  rueful  steps,  I  descended  the  poop  ladder,  and,  poor  little 
wretch  that  I  was,  I  thought  I  should  sink  under  the  disgrace.  For  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  I  walked  dismally  up  and  down  the  stretch  of  deck, 
between  the  cuddy  awning  and  the  mainmast,  feeling  very  sick.  At  the 
expiration  of  that  time,  the  captain's  steward  came  to  me,  and,  holding 
out  a  small  parcel,  said,  "The  captain's  comphments,  sir;  and  will 
you  please  place  this  badge  and  band  on  your  cap.  You  can  then 
resume  your  duties  on  the  poop.  He  would  suggest  you  attach  a 
lanyard  to  it." 

This  was  a  piece  of  kindness  I  had  altogether  failed  to  anticipate,  and 
I  joyfully  proceeded  to  ship  the  brass  binding,  not  forgetting  to  secure 
it  as  suggested.  Then,  no  longer  an  outcast,  I  gleefully  once  more 
mounted  the  poop  ladder,  touching  my  cap  as  I  stepped  again  into  that 
sacred  piece  of  deck,  which  must  not  be  trodden  save  by  those  suitably 
decorated  with  the  company's  house-flag. 

The  Trafalgar  was  still  afloat  in  1873-4  under  Green's 
house-flag,  but  she  is  missing  from  the  register  in  1875-6, 
the  year  Rose's  iron  wool  clipper  Trafalgar  was  launched. 

The  Loss  of  the  "Dalhousie." 

It  speaks  well  for  the  Blackwall  frigates,  their 
owners,  officers  and  crews  that,  at  a  time  when  every 
gale  strewed  the  shore  with  innumerable  wrecks, 
there  should  have  been  so  few  of  their  number  lost. 
During  the  whole  era  of  the  Blackwall  frigates  there 
were  only  four  really  big  tragedies,  those  of  the  North 
Fleet,  Cospatrick,  Dunbar  and  Dalhousie;  the  first 
through  collision,  the  second  from  fire,  the  third  from  u 


174  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

mistake  in  navigation,  and  the  fourth  due  probably 
to  faulty  stowage  of  cargo,  which  rendered  the  ship 
crank  and  unsafe. 

This  last,  the  loss  of  the  Dalhoiisie,  occurred  in  1853. 
The  ship,  frigate -built  of  teak,  was  launched  at 
Moulmein  in  1848.  She  measured  800  tons  and  was 
owned  by  Mr.  Allan,  of  London.  It  will  be  noticed  that 
she  did  not  belong  to  one  of  the  first-class  Blackwall 
firms,  nevertheless  she  was  undoubtedly  a  fine  sliip, 
well  found  and  well  manned. 

On  12th  October  she  left  the  E.I.  Docks  bound  for 
Sydney  under  the  flag  of  the  White  Horse  Line  of 
Australian  passenger  ships,  with  a  cargo  valued  at 
£100,000  and  a  crew  of  48  hands.  Luckily  only  a 
dozen  of  her  passengers  joined  at  Gravesend,  the  rest  were 
to  be  picked  up  at  Plymouth.  The  Dalhoiisie  arrived 
in  the  Downs  on  the  15th  and  was  detained  there  by 
strong  headwinds  until  the  18th.  At  7  a.m.  on  the  18th 
she  sailed  from  the  Downs,  the  wind  being  fresh  at 
N.W.  At  7  p.m.  when  the  ship  was  10  miles  west  of 
Dungeness,  the  wind  shifted  to  the  S.S.E.  and  freshened. 
At  10  p.m.  the  topgallant  sails  were  taken  in.  At 
midnight  all  hands  were  called  to  reef  topsails,  the 
wind  and  sea  increasing  rapidly.  At  2  a.m.  Joseph 
Reed  (the  only  survivor)  took  the  helm,  Beachy  Head 
light  being  in  sight  abeam.  By  4  a.m.  it  was  blowing 
a  gale;  the  ship  was  rolling  very  heavily  and  seemed  to 
have  a  difficulty  in  recovering  herself:  the  starboard 
quarter  boat  was  washed  away.  At  the  change  of  the 
watch  the  fore  and  main  topsails  were  double-reefed 
and  the  mizen  topsail  stowed:  shortly  afterwards 
a  sea  swept  the  ship  and  actually  washed  away  the  long- 
boat. At  5  a.m.  the  ship  was  hauled  to  the  wind  and 
the  crew  commenced  throwing  overboard  water  casks. 


LOSS  OF  THE  DALHOUSIE  175 

sheep  pens,  etc.  At  5.30  the  larboard  quarter  boat  was 
washed  away,  the  ship  went  over  on  her  beam  ends  and 
lay  there. 

I  will  now  quote  from  the  sworn  account  of  the 
seaman  Reed,  the  only  survivor: — 

At  half-past  five  a.m.  she  rolled  right  over  on  her  starboard  beam 
ends,  and  remained  in  that  position  with  her  mastheads  in  the  water, 
lying  at  the  mercy  of  the  sea,  which  then  made  a  clean  breach  over  her, 
and  washed  away  the  larboard  quarter  boat.  A  great  many  of  the 
crew  took  refuge  in  the  maintop,  and  I  got  outside  the  ship  on  the 
weather  gallery,  it  being  impossible  to  stand  on  deck. 

Captain  Butterworth,  the  chief  and  second  mate,  the  carpenter, 
cook,  and  some  of  the  crew,  joined  me  on  the  weather  quarter,  and  thev 
dragged  through  the  gallery  window  four  passengers,  consisting  of  a 
gentleman,  his  wife  and  two  children,  who  took  refuge  with  them.  I 
and  another  seaman  also  succeeded  in  getting  out  of  the  water  a  younc^ 
lady,  who  had  come  out  of  one  of  the  poop  cabins,  and  I  lashed  her  to  a 
large  spar,  and  placed  her  with  the  rest  of  the  party  on  the  gallerv 
Immediately  afterwards  a  large  sea  broke  over  the  ship,  which  washed 
off  the  gentleman  above  mentioned  with  his  wife  and  children  (four  in 
all)  and  they  perished  together.  At  about  this  time  a  schooner  was 
observed  about  half  a  mile  to  the  eastward,  bearing  down  upon  the 
wreck. 

Our  ship  was  at  that  time  settling  fast  in  the  water,  and  it  was 
evident  that  she  could  not  re.main  afloat  many  minutes  longer.  I  cut 
the  lashings  of  the  spar  to  which  the  young  lady  had  been  made  fast 
in  order  to  give  her  a  chance  for  her  life.  As  the  spar  went  adrift. 
Captain  Butter\vorth,  the  second  mate  and  one  or  two  of  the  seamen 
quitted  the  sinking  ship  and  held  on  to  the  spar  in  the  hopes  of  saving 
themselves,  I  being   left  on  the  quarter  with  the  cook  and  carpenter. 

Many  of  the  people  had  by  this  been  drowned,  but  others  remained 
holding  on  as  they  best  could  on  the  weather  side  of  the  wreck.  She 
lay  thus  for  about  ten  minutes  after  Captain  Butterworth  had  left  her 
and  then  sank,  going  down  head  first.  I  scrambled  from  the  quarter 
to  the  mizen  mast,  which  I  ascended  as  the  ship  sank,  I  found  the 
surgeon  in  the  mizen  top,  and  we  went  up  together  to  the  mizen 
cross-trees. 

When  we  were  submerged  I  lost  sight  of  the  surgeon,  and  I  swam  to 
some  deals  which  were  floating  about.  I  got  hold  of  one  of  them,  but 
shortly  afterwards  I  saw  near  me  one  of  the  chocks  of  the  longboat, 
capable  of  affording  me  better  support  than  the  deal,  which  I  therefore 
left  and  placed  myself  on  the  chock. 

The  schooner  was  then  within  shouting  distance,  being  about  lOU 


176  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

yards  to  leeward  of  me,  and  I  hailed  her,  begging  her  crew  to  go 
about  to  windward  and  afterwards  drift  down  among  the  Dalhousie's 
people,  of  whom  several  were  still  alive.  (The  schooner's  people 
declared  that  they  did  not  hear  the  hail,  nor  could  they  work  to 
windward  and  get  near  the  men  struggling  in  the  water  ;  and 
after  waiting  for  half  an  hour  they  were  obliged  to  make  sail  for  their 
own  safety,  as  they  were  drifting  down  upon  a  lee  shore  and  it  was 
blowing  hard.)  In  the  course  of  the  morning  several  other  vessels  passed 
near  me,  both  going  up  and  down  Channel,  without  seeing  us.  My 
companions  gradually  perished  one  after  the  other,  and  I  was  repeatedly 
washed  off  my  frail  support.  At  about  1  p.m.  the  wind  veered  to  the 
S.W.,  and  towards  4  o'clock  a  brig  hove  in  sight  to  windward,  standing 
down  towards  where  I  was  floating :  I  made  signals  to  her  with  my 
handkerchief  in  the  best  way  I  could,  which  were  fortunately  seen.  The 
bri"  soon  came  alongside  me,  and  having  lowered  a  rope  with  a  bowline 
in  it,  I  made  it  fast  round  my  body  and  sprang  from  the  chock  into  the 
sea.  Although  the  crew  of  the  brig  observed  every  precaution  in  their 
power,  I  was  unavoidably  dragged  under  water  for  a  minute  or  two 
before  I  could  get  on  board,  and  when  I  at  length  reached  her  deck  I 
was  nearly  senseless. 

The  brig  was  the  Mitchel  Grove,  bound  from  Little- 
hampton  to  Sunderland  with  timber,  and  she  landed 
Reed  at  Dover  on  the  following  day. 

Great  quantities  of  wreckage  were  washed  ashore  at 
Hastings  and  Rye,  and  the  body  of  Mrs.  Underwood, 
a  passenger,  washed  up  on  the  beach  at  Dymchurch. 

In  these  sole  survivor  tragedies,  the  sole  survivor  is 
always  proved  to  be  a  man  of  most  extraordinary  strength 
and  endurance.  Not  many  men  could  have  held  on  to 
that  longboat  chock  and  lived  through  those  long  hours 
in  that  rough,  cold,  Channel  sea  and  autumn  gale  of 
wind. 

Origin  of  Marshall's  House -Flag. 

George  Marshall  came  into  prominence  as  an 
owner  of  first-class  frigate-built  passenger  ships  about 
the  time  of  the  discovery  of  gold  in  Australia.  Marshall 
was  a  Sunderland  shipbuilder  and  built  all  his  own 
ships,  running  them  both  to  India  and  Australia.      The 


STATESMAN  AND  HOTSPUR  177 

first  of  Ills  ships  to  make  a  name  for  herself  was  the 
Statesman,  of  874  tons,  launched  in  1849.  She  made 
several  very  rapid  passages  out  to  Australia,  and  one 
especially,  of  76  days  from  Plymouth  to  Melbourne 
before  Marco  Polo  had  astonished  the  world,  was  the 
cause  of  the  blue  circle  in  Marshall's  house-flag.  On 
this  occasion  the  Statesman  was  commanded  by  the 
celebrated  Captain  Godfrey,  a  great  exponent  of  Great 
Circle  sailing,  who  also  made  two  77-day  passages  in 
Beazley's  Constance. 

Marshall  celebrated  Captain  Godfrey's  feat  by 
adopting  as  his  house-flag  the  St.  George's  Cross  with 
a  blue  circle  in  the  centre. 

Toynbee's  *♦  Hotspur.*' 

The  Hotspur,  which  followed  the  Blenheim  off 
the  stocks,  was  one  of  the  most  popular  passenger  ships 
trading  to  Calcutta.  And  this  was  in  great  part  due  to 
her  commander,  Captain  Toynbee. 

Smith's  ships  were  a  good  deal  fuller  in  the  ends  than 
those  of  Green  and  Wigram,  though  they  had  plenty 
of  dead -rise;  and  the  Hotspur  had  bluff  bows  like  a 
Geordie,  but  with  the  Geordie's  fine  run.  Her  utmost 
speed  was  about  12  knots,  yet  under  Toynbee  she  was 
sailed  so  hard  and  made  such  good  tracks  that  she 
averaged  : — 

Pilot  to  pilot — outward  passage  . .  , .  . .  90  days. 

,,         ,,        homeward     ,,        ..  ..  ..  91     ,, 

Best  passage  out — Lizard  to  Madras       . .  .  .  79     ,, 

,,       home — Madras  to  Lizard  . .  85     ,, 

She  made  her  best  run  on  12th  September,  1864,  in 
42°  S.,  56''  E.,  when  she  covered  328  miles  in  the  231- 
hour  day;  whilst  running  her  easting  down  she  once 
averaged  230  miles  a  day  for  19  days. 

N 


178  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

These  performances  meant  hard  driving.  With  a 
ship's  company  of  60  to  65,  and  a  watch  consisting  of 
the  officer  of  the  watch,  3  midshipmen,  a  bosun's  mate 
and  17  men,  sail  was  never  taken  in  till  the  last  minute 
and  set  again  at  the  first  possible  moment.  Shaped 
as  she  was  like  a  serving  mallet,  the  Hotspur  owed 
more  than  a  little  of  her  reputation  for  good  and  regular 
passages  to  her  celebrated  commander. 

Captain  Henry  Toynbee  was  one  of  the  most  scientific 
navigators  of  his  day,  and  many  were  his  valuable 
papers  to  the  Nautical  Magazine  and  other  shipping 
periodicals  on  such  subjects  as  "lunars,"  "star  naviga- 
tion, "  " rating  chronometers,  "  ''  trade  routes,  "  etc.  "He 
was  always  sure  of  his  longitude  within  five  miles," 
writes  one  of  his  officers.  And  his  wonderful  landfalls 
were  the  admiration  of  his  passengers. 

Toynbee  was  the  son  of  a  gentleman  farmer  in 
Lincolnshire,  and  went  to  sea  in  1833  at  the  age  of 
fourteen  as  a  midshipman  on  the  East  Indiaman 
Dunvegan  Castle. 

On  his  second  voyage  he  went  in  the  free -trade  barque 
Eleanor,  to  China,  and  then  got  a  third  officer's  appoint- 
ment in  the  Duke  of  Argyle,  belonging  to  T.  &  W. 
Smith,  his  first  commander  in  Smiths  being  John 
Sydney  Webb,  afterwards  Deputy  Master  of  the  Trinity 
House. 

Toynbee 's  first  command  was  the  Ellenborough;  and 
he  had  also  commanded  the  Glorlana  and  Marlbui  ongh 
before  he  took  over  the  Hotspur,  the  command  of  which 
he  resigned  in  1866  in  order  to  succeed  Admiral  Fitzroy 
as  Marine  Superintendent  of  the  Meteorological  Office. 
He  retired  in  1888,  and  lived  to  be  over  ninety  years  of 
age,  an  example  of  all  that  an  officer  in  our  Mercantile 
Marine  should  be. 


HOTSPUR  179 

Toynbee  was  succeeded  in  the  Hotspur  by  his  first 
officer  T.  L.  Porteous,  and  the  following  is  the  last 
mailing  notice  in  the  Times  of  the  famous  old  ship: — 

FOR  MADRAS  DIRECT 
T.  &  W.  Smith  will  despatch  the  fine,  fast-sailing  ship  Hotspur,  Al 
13  years,  1045  tons  register.  T.  L.  Porteous,  Commander  :  to  load  in 
East  India  Docks.  Last  shipping  day,  30th  October.  Has  excellent 
accommodation  for  passengers.  For  freight  or  pa.si.age  apply  to  Messrs. 
Grmdlay  &  Co.,  55  Parhament  St.,  S.W.,  or  T.  &  W.  Smith,  No.  1 
Crosby  Square,  E.G. 

On  that  voyage  the  Hotspur  went  ashore  and  became 
a  total  wreck  in  the  Madras  cyclone  of  2nd  May,  1872. 
The  storm  is  thus  reported  in  the  log  of  the  ship  Inverness, 
Captain  Thomas  Donkin,  R.N.R.,  which  managed  to 
ride  it  out  in  Madras  Roads: — 

1st  May. — Noon,  wind  N.E.ly,  force  6.  Barometer  29.567.  Ob- 
served signal  at  the  Master  Attendant's  Office — "  Surf  impassable." 
4  p.m.,  wind  N.E.ly,  force  7.  Set  sea  watch.  Towards  evening  squally 
weather,  heavy  showers,  wind  coming  in  gusts.     Veered  to  90  fathoms. 

8  p.m.,  secured  everything  about  the  decks,  etc.,  for  bad  weather. 
Close-reefed  topsails,  foresail  and  lower  staysails  ready  for  setting. 
Midnight,  wind  N.E.ly,  force  8,  Barometer  29.527.  Heavy  squalls 
and  heavy  rain. 

2nd  May. — 2  a.m.,  wind  N.E.,  force  9.  Barometer  29.436.  4.15  a.m., 
wind  N.E.,  force  11.  Barometer  29.343.  Daylight  very  heavy  squalls 
and  very  threatening  appearance:  waited  for  a  lull  and  paid  out  to  130 
fathoms  of  chain,  letting  go  second  anchor  before  doing  so,  and  veering 
to  35  fathoms.  6.30  a.m.,  observed  the  Buflingtoti  drifting.  7  a.m., 
the  Ardhe^  drifting.     8  a.m.,  wind  N.E.,  force  11.5.     Barometer  29.266. 

9  a.m.,  wind  N.E.,  force  12.  Barometer  29.267.  9  and  10  a.m.. 
Sir  Robert  Sepping  dragging.  Invershie,  Hotspur,  Kingdom  of  Belgium, 
Armenian,  Mary  Scott  and  other  country  ships  parted.  11  a.m.,  the 
wind  began  to  veer  easterly  and  knowing  then  that  the  centre  was 
passing  south  (though  very  close)  felt  convinced  that  if  the  chain  only 
held  on  another  hour  we  should  be  safe.  The  ship  did  not  drag  at  all: 
we  were  prepared  to  cut  away  should  she  have  commenced.  During 
the  morning  the  sea  was  fearfully  heavy,  and  now  and  then  the  head  ot  a 
sea  came  aboard,  but  no  large  body  of  water.  8  p.m.,  wind  S.ly,  force 
t),  decreasing.  The  Inverness  was  in  a  favourable  position  for  riding 
out  the  Sturm,  but  the  Hotspur  was  too  close  in.      It  WL'uld  not  hava 


180  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

been  safe  to  put  to  sea  at  the  first  indication,  as  the  ships  would  havs 
had  to  beat  ofl  a  lee  shore  whilst  they  were  getting  stronger  and  stronger 
winds  as  they  neared  the  centre  of  the  cyclone. 

"Anglesey's"  Famous  Figurehead. 

Green's  Anglesey  was  noted  for  her  wonderful 
figurehead,  representing  the  Earl  of  Anglesey.  This 
work  of  art  was  very  much  admired,  and  so  carefully 
looked  after  that  it  was  always  kept  covered  up  whilst 
in  harbour  except  on  holidays  and  special  occasions. 

The  Anglesey  was  a  very  smart  little  ship,  and  holds 
the  record  for  the  biggest  2-t-hour  run  ever  made  by  a 
Blackwall  frigate.  She  was  also  exceedingly  fast  in 
light  airs,  which  was  due  according  to  her  officers  to  the 
beautiful  modelling  of  her  counter. 

The  following  is  a  epitome  of  the  voyage,  in  which 
she  made  the  big  run,  taken  from  her  log-book. 

Fast  Voyage  to   Melbourne   and   back  by  the 
''Anglesey." 

Ship's  Company — Commander  J.  Maddison;  3  mates,  5  midshipmen, 
bosun,  carpenter,  steward,  butcher,  cook,  17  A.B.'s  (all  British  names), 
2  O.S.'s,  3  boys,  1st  cuddy  servant. — Total  4G. 

London  to  Melbourne. 
5tb  April,  1871. — 130  p.m.,  hauled  out  of  East  India  Docks.     Draft  of 
water  forward,  18  ft.  3  ins.  aft.,  18  ft.  11  ins.;  well  19  ins.     Taken  in 
tow  by  Scotia.     5.30  p.m.,  made  fast  to  buoy  at  Gravesend.      Took 
in  livestock  and  one  bull. 

6th  April. — 5.30  a.m.,  mustered  all  hands.  3.30  p.m..  Captain 
Maddison  joined  the  ship.  4.15  p.m.,  passed  emigration  survey,  and 
proceeded  in  tow. 

7th  April. — 3.30  a.m.,  cast  ofi  tug  and  made  all  plain  sail.  Mod. 
E.ly  breeze.  1.20  p.m.,  passed  Beachy  Head.  10.30  p.m.,  St.  Catherine's 
Light,  N.N.E. 

8th  April. — 9  a.m.,  hove  to  for  pilot  cutter.  10.30  a.m.,  ;\Ir.  Joues, 
pilot,  left  the  ship  off  Berry  Head.     P.M.,  falling  calm. 

lyth  April. — Sighted  Island  of  Lazarote,  one  of  the  Canaries. 

22nd  April.— Lat.  26°  10'  N,.  long.  16°  21'  W.     Took  N.E.  trades. 

1st  j.lay.— Lat   3"  19'  N.,  long.  22'  ou'  W.     Lo3t  N.E.  trades 


ANGLESEY'S  LOG  181 

2nci  May. — Crossed  the  Equator,  24  days  from  Start.  Took  S.E. 
trades. 

4th  May.— Lat.  5°  57'  S.,  long.  26"  10'  W.  Course  S.  19'  W.  Distance 
230  miles.  Fresh  trade  and  squally.  Carried  away  fore  top-gallant 
backstay  bolt.      Split  flying  jib  and  shifted  it.      Ship  pitching  heavily. 

14th  May.— Lat.  32°  17'  S..  long.  17°  36'  W.  Course  S.  46°  E. 
Distance  241  miles.  Fresh  westerly  wind  with  sharp  squalls.  11.45 
p.m.,  struck  by  a  sudden  gust  giving  no  previous  warning.  Carried 
away  jibboom  and  three  topgallant  masts,  main  topgallant  mast  going 
in  three  pieces,  one  piece  damaging  port  boat  in  its  fall.  Also  blew 
away  main  topmast  staysail  out  of  bolt-ropes. 

15th  May.— Lat.  34°  47'  S.,  long.  13°  50'  W.  Course  S.  52°  E. 
Distance  240  miles.  Unsteady  W.S.W.  breeze  and  squally.  At 
daylight  commenced  clearing  away  the  wreck.  Sent  down  all  the 
yards  and  pieces  of  topgallant  masts. 

16th  May.— Lat.  36°  45'  S.,  long.  11°  00'  W.  Course  5.  50°  E.  Dis- 
tance 182  miles.  Wind  westerly,  unsteady  and  gusty,  ship  rolling 
heavily,  tremendous  sea. 

17th  May. — Lat.  39°  5' S.,  long.  7"  35' W.  Course  S.  49°  E.  Distance 
240.  Unsteady  westerly  breeze  and  gusty.  Employed  getting 
jibboom  and  spritsail  yard  rigged.  P.M.,  mod.  breeze  and  pufiy.  Sent 
jibboom  out  and  set  the  jibs. 

18th  May.— Lat.  39°  56'  S.,  long.  5°  34'  W.  Course  S.  61°  E.  Dis- 
ance  108  miles.  Light  W.S.W.  wind.  Ship  rolling  heavily  at  times. 
Employed  getting  fore  topgallant  rigging  aloft.  Shifted  mizen  topsail 
with  best.       P.M.,  moderate  breeze.     Sent  up  fore  topgallant  mast. 

19th  May.— Lat.  40°  46'  S.,  long.  1°  54'  W.  Course  S.  75°  E.  Dis- 
tance 176  miles.  Wind  west,  unsteady  and  gusty,  threatening  appear- 
ance all  round.  A.M.,  crossed  fore  topgallant  yard  and  set  the  sail. 
P.M.,  hght  breeze,  sent  up  mizen  topgallant  mast,  crossed  the  yard  and 
set  the  sail. 

20th  May.— Lat.  41°  3'  S.,  long.  0°  50'  E.  Course  S.  81°  E.  Dis- 
tance 125  miles.  Wind  S.W.  Moderate  and  squally.  (Crossed 
meridian  of  Greenwich  18  days  from  line.) 

(I  have  given  this  week  fully,  as  it  is  a  fine  example 
of  what  could  be  done  in  re-rigging  at  sea  on  a 
Blackwaller.) 

28th  May.— Lat.  47°  30'  S.,  long.  23°  31'  E.  Course  S.  73°  E.  Dis- 
tance 232  miles.  A.M.,  strong  wind  N.N.E.  and  gusty.  Set  main  royal. 
P.M.,  moderate  decreasing  breeze  S.W.     Made  all  plain  sail. 

29th  May.— Lat.  48°  29'  S.,  long.  32°  51'  E.  Course  S.  83°  E.  Dis- 
tance 380  miles.  Wind  W.N.W.,  unsteady  and  gusty,  light  rain. 
P.M.,  increasing  with  hard  gusts. 


182  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

(The  log  gives  this  run  as  418  miles,  but  worked  out 
rigorously  it  only  comes  to  380.  This  is  the  biggest 
day's  work  ever  made  by  a  Blackwall  frigate.) 

30th  May.— Lat.  48°  7'  S.,  long.  39°  9'  E.  Course  N.  83"  E.  Dis- 
tance 254  miles.  Fre.sh  W.ly  and  N.W.ly  winds.  Squally,  snow  at 
times,  split  first  jib  and  shifted  it. 

3Ist  May.— Lat.  48°  7'  S.,  long.  45°  35'  E.  Course  east.  Distance 
258  miles.  Wind  N.W.,  strong  and  gusty  with  thick  misty  weather. 
Shipping  much  water  overall.  P.M.,  strong  and  gusty  with  ram. 
4  p.m..  heavy  sea  struck  ship,  flooding  the  cuddy  and  poop.  Reefed  the 
mainsail  and  took  in  main  royal. 

1st  June.— Lat.  47°  58'  S..  long.  52''  45'  E.  Course  N.  88°  E.  Dis- 
tance 288  miles.  Strong  N.W.  wind  and  gusty  with  snow  and  hail 
squalls.  Tremendous  sea  following  astern.  Ship  rolling  heavily  and 
shipping  seas. 

2nd  June.— Lat.  47°  2'  S..  long.  58°  45'  E.  Course  N.  89°  E.  Dis- 
tance 241  miles.  Wind  N.W.,  fresh  and  gusty,  set  main  royal.  Found 
fore  lock  of  main  topgallant  backstay  had  carried  away.  Rigged  and 
set  it  up  again.  P.M.,  unsteady  and  squally  with  snow.  Made  sail  to 
main  topgallant  sail. 

3rd  June.— Lat.  47°  34'  S.,  long.  65°  4'  E.  Course  S.  83°  E.  Dis- 
tance 256  miles.  Fresh  W.ly  wind  with  hard  squalls  and  hail.  Split 
fore  topmast  stunsail.  In  light  sails.  P.M.,  strong  wind  and  squally 
with  snow.     Furled  mizen  topsail.     Heavy  sea. 

4th  June.— Lat.  47°  11'  S.,  long.  71°  10'  E.  Course  N.  48°  E. 
Distance  256  miles.  Wind  W.S.W.,  unsteady,  fresh  and  squally  with 
hail  at  times.     Made  sail  to  main  ro3al. 

(The  week's  work  from  28th  May  to  -l-th  June  totals 
1925  miles.  This  is  a  verj^  fine  performance  indeed 
for  a  little  Blackwall  frigate.) 

lOth  June.— Lat.  47°  10' S.,  long.  104°  52' E.  Course  S.  80°  E.  Dis- 
tance 306  miles.  Wind  N.N.E.  to  N.N.W.,  increasing  to  a  strong  gale. 
SpHt  the  mainsail  and  look  it  in. 

18th  June. — 8  p.m.,  sighted  Otway  Light. 

19th  June. — 2  a.m.,  sunk  Otway  Light  bearing  W.S.W.  6  a.m., 
hauled  the  mainsail  up.  In  a  heavy  gust  carried  away  new  main 
topmast  staysail  sheet  and  split  the  sail,  at  same  time  carried  away  new 
jib  pendant  and  split  the  sail.  7  a.m.,  sighted  Port  Phillip  Heads  and 
pilot  boat.  Wore  round  on  port  tack  and  hove  to  for  pilot.  Mr.  Hanson 
came  on  board  and  took  charge.  Piped  to  breakfast,  during  which 
rope  of  fore  topmast  staysail  carried  away,  also  starboard  upper  fore 
topsail  sheet.     Tacked  to  N.E.,  shifted  stavsail.     Got  the  anchor  ofl  the 


ANGLESEY'S  LOG  183 

boards  and  got  up  more  chain.  2  p.m..  put  helm  up  and  stood  for 
Heads.  3  p.m.,  passed  through  the  Rip.  3.30  p.m.,  let  go  starboard 
anchor,  and  paid  out  60  fathoms  of  chain.  Found  ship  dragging, 
carried  away  lip  of  starboard  hawse  and  started  the  chock.  Let  go 
port  anchor  and  paid  out  45  fathoms  to  hawse.  Continuing  to  blow 
from  S.E.  all  night  with  heavy  gusts. 

21st  June. — i  p.m.,  hauled  alongside  Sandridge  Railway  Pier. 
(Start  to  Port  Philhp,  72  days.) 

Melbourne  to  London. 

10th  August.  1871.— Noon,  anchored  off  Queenscliffe.  8  p  m., 
Roberts,  third-class  passenger,  taken  out  of  the  ship  by  police,  his  wife 
accompanying  him. 

11th  August. — 8.30  a.m.,  passed  through  the  Heads. 

16th  August.— Lat.  48°  26'  S.,  long.  163°  28'  E.  Wind  S.W.  Baro- 
meter 3  a.m.,  29.22.  7  a.m.,  shortened  sail  to  lower  topsails,  now 
blowing  with  terrific  violence,  ship  laying  over  so  that  the  water  was 
over  lee  rail.  P.M.,  strong  gale  with  hard  squalls,  very  heavy  sea. 
6  p.m.,  made  sail  as  required,  split  upper  fore  topsail. 

22nd  August  to  3rd  September. — Anglesey  ran  from  51°  50'  S.,  162' 
25'  VV.  to  Cape  Horn.  3397  miles  in  13  days,  an  average  of  261  miles  a 
day. 

31st  August.— Lat.  58°  42'  S.,  long.  95"  48'  W.  Distance  294  miles 
(best  run  of  the  passage).  Winds  N.W.  to  S.W.,  strong  breeze  with 
hard  squalls.  Ship  taking  a  great  deal  of  water  overall,  starboard  boat 
on  skids  washed  to  leeward.  Lee  rail  constantly  under  water.  6  a.m., 
struck  by  a  heavy  sea  on  weather  quarter,  much  of  it  finding  its  way 
below,  filling  cuddy  and  cabins.  8  a.m.,  heavy  untrue  sea  running,  set 
main  royal  to  keep  her  before  the  tremendous  sea  running.  Shipping 
much  water  over  poop  and  main  deck.  P.M.,  hard  squalls  of  snow. 
Ship  rolling  heavily,  taking  much  water  over  both  rails,  frequently 
floating  lifeboat  on  starboard  davits. 

3rd  September.— Lat.  57°  29'  S.,  long.  70°  47'  W.  Distance  285 
miles.  Wind  S.W.  Barometer  at  4  a.m.,  28.50.  Wind  increasing  with 
hard  gusts,  and  squally  with  hail.  Tremendous  sea  running,  shipping 
green  seas  all  over  main  dock.  Furled  mainsail.  4  a.m.,  increasing 
with  hard  squalls.  Furled  main  topgallant  sail  but  loosed  it  before  the 
men  were  off  the  yard  and  set  it,  finding  she  would  not  keep  ahead  of 
the  sea  without.  6  a.m.,  a  terrific  high  sea  running,  washing  over  poop 
and  rolling  in  on  main  deck.  Sometimes  3  feet  of  water  on  the  decks, 
pressing  in  port  awning  cabin  and  damaging  front  of  cuddy  and  filling 
cabin.  8  30  a.m.,  struck  by  a  heavy  sea  on  stern,  staving  in  deadlight 
in  port  cabin  and  starting  quarter  gallery.  P.M.,  very  heavy  gale  with 
hail.  Ship  with  difficulty  keeping  ahead  of  the  sea  and  rolling  quantities 
of  water  over  everywhere,  pumps  kept  constantly  going  all  day,  the 


184  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

men  never  leaving  them.  Skylight  washed  off  the  poop.  5  p.m..  struck 
by  heavy  sea  on  starboard  side,  completely  staving  m  lifeboat,  un- 
shipping davits  and  starting  the  whole  starboard  rail.  Cut  remamder 
of  boat  away  to  save  the  rail.  Port  upper  fore  topsail  sheet  gomg  at 
same  time,  turned  the  hands  out  and  rove  sheet  and  set  sail  agam.  Set 
fore  topgallant  sail.  7.30..  blew  fore  topgallant  sail  away.  Sighted 
Islands  of  Diego  Ramirez,  ported  and  passed  them.  8  p.m..  shipped  a 
tremendous  heavy  sea,  smashing  main  booby  hatch.  Furled  foresail 
and  remains  of  fore  topgallant  sail.  Midnight,  pumps  sucking. 
(Port  Phillip  Heads  to  Cape  Horn,  23  days.) 

30th  September.— Crossed  the  line  in  27°  58'  W. 

29th  October.—Wind  S.W.,  7.15  p.m.,  sighted  Start  light  on  port 

beam. 

(Melbourne  to  Start,  79  days.) 

This  voyage  is  a  most  rema'-kable  performance,  and 
ha3  never  been  beaten  by  a  Blaekwall  frigate. 

Captain  Maddison  was  a  real  sail  carrier,  as  can  easily 
be  seen  by  the  few  extracts  which  I  have  made. 

The  Anglesey  was  a  short,  deep  little  ship  with  her 
mizen  pitched  very  far  aft,  her  measurements  being 
182  feet  long,  34  feet  beam  and  22  feet  depth.  To  look 
at  she  was  very  like  Green's  second  tea  clipper,  the 
Highflyer,  which  was  launched  nine  years  later,  both 
ships  having  the  same  cut  away  bow ;  it  is  indeed  highly 
probable  that  Anglesey  had  some  influence  on  the 
design  of  Highflyer,  though  I  have  no  evidence  that 
this  was  the  case. 

Anglesey  was  sold  by  Green  about  1S74,  and  she 
disappeared  from  the  Register  in  1882. 


♦♦Roxburgh  Castle"  and  Will  Terris. 

The  Roxburgh  Castle,  launched  the  same  year  as 
Anglesey,  was  a  slightly  larger  ship,  having  3  inches 
more  length,  5  inches  more  beam  and  1  inch  more 
depth. 

Will  Terris  started  life  in  her,  but  his  desire  for  a  sea 


THE  NORTHFLEET  TRAGEDY  186 

life  was  soon  quenched  and  he  left  the  ship  as  soon  as 
she  reached  the  Downs  outward  bound. 

The  Roxburgh  Castle  was  a  well  known  ship  in  the 
Melbourne  passenger  trade,  and  along  with  the  Anglesey, 
Dover  Castle,  Monarch,  Prince  of  Wales,  and  Lady 
Melville  formed  one  of  Green's  Blackwall  Line  of 
Packets  to  Australia  during  the  sixties  and  early 
seventies. 

She  was  wrecked  on  the  Goodwin  Sands  in  1876. 

The  "Northfleet"  Tragedy. 

The  NorthJIeei,  which  made  some  remarkable 
passages  in  the  China  trade,  is  chiefly  notorious  for  the 
tragedy  of  her  end.  In  January,  1873,  she  anchored 
off  Dungencss  when  bound  out  to  Tasmania  with  a  large 
number  of  emigrants,  mostly  railway  navvies.  During 
the  night  she  was  run  into  by  an  unknown  steamer  and 
sunk.  The  steamer,  which  was  afterwards  identified 
as  the  Spanish  Murillo,  steamed  away  and  left  her  to  her 
fate.  The  North] leet  sank  in  half-an-hour,  293  of  her 
350  emigrants  being  drowned.  Many  of  these  would 
have  been  saved  if  a  panic  had  not  started  amongst 
the  emigrants,  who  tried  to  rush  the  boats.  Captain 
Knowles  went  down,  revolver  in  hand,  having  done 
his  best  to  save  the  women  and  children;  and  his  wife, 
who  was  saved,  was  granted  a  Civil  List  pension  in 
recognition  of  his  bravery. 

The  Famous  "Kent." 

The  best  known,  perhaps,  of  all  Wigram's 
fleet  was  the  grand  little  Kent,  whose  passages  out  to 
Australia  were  simply  marvellous  considering  her  size 
and  build. 

She    was    Wigram's    pioneer    ship    in    the    booming 
passenger  trade  to  Melbourne,  the  port  of  entry  for  the 


186  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

wonderful  Eldorado  of  the  mid-Victorian  fortune 
seeker;  and  as  such  she  was  the  finest  specimen  of  a 
first -class  passenger  ship  that  Wigram's  Blackwall 
Yard  could  turn  out. 

Measuring  927  tons,  she  was  186  feet  long  with  a  beam 
of  33  feet.  Her  poop  ran  almost  to  the  mainmast  and 
she  had  a  large  topgallant  foc's'le.  She  was,  of  course, 
full  in  the  bow  compared  to  the  Liverpool  clippers; 
she  had  the  heavy  square  frigate  stern  with  large  stern 
windows  and  quarter  galleries,  and  great  heavy  channels 
to  drag  through  the  water. 

Her  main  royal  masthead  was  130  feet  above  the  deck, 
which  gave  her  a  tall  sail  plan  for  her  size  and  length, 
and  her  bowsprit  and  jibboom  were  of  unusual  length, 
even  for  a  Blackwall  frigate.  She  came  out  with 
single  topsails,  with  the  usual  four  rows  of  reef  points. 
Her  yards  were  banded  every  3  feet  with  iron,  and 
strength  was  given  to  her  for  sail  carrying  by  every 
device  of  the  riggers'  art  then  known. 

For  many  years  she  was  considered  one  of  the  finest 
ships  trading  out  of  the  port  of  London,  which  was 
tantamount  to  saying  that  she  was  one  of  the  linest 
ships  in  the  world. 

And  during  her  whole  career  she  was  always  a  "pet 
ship"  and  a  great  favourite,  both  of  her  owners,  her 
passengers  and  crew. 

Here  is  a  Melbourne  shipping  notice  of  the  year  1856 : 

Blackwall    Line   of    Packets. — For 

LONDON  direct— To  sail  in  May— 

The  Magnificent  armed  Clipper  ship 

KENT. 

Al  at  Lloyd's,  1000  tons,  George  Coleman,  commander,  belongins; 
to  Messrs.  Money  Wigram  &  Sons. 

This  renowned  Blackwall  clipper  now  stands  unrivalled  in  the 
accomplishment  of  no  less  than  eight  passages  to  and  from  Australia, 
the  average  duration  of  which  has  not  been  equalled  by  any  vessel  afloat. 


THE  KENT  187 

She  will  be  despatched  from  this  port  for  London  at  the  time 
indicated  above,  and  intending  passengers  should  therefore  ensure 
superior  accommodation  by  making  timely  application  at  the  olEces 
of   the  undersigned. 

An  experienced  surgeon  will  accompany  the  ship. 

Fares. 
Cabin  passage,  including  wines,  beer  and  spirits,         80  guineas. 
Second  cabin  .  .  . .  . .  • •  • •  £35 

Third  cabin £25 

For  plans  of  the  cabins,  dietary  scales,  etc.,  apply  to  W.  P.  Whit^  & 
Co.,  agents.  Wharf. 

The  first  point  to  notice  in  this  advertisement  is  the 
tall  claim  about  the  Kent's  first  eight  passages.  The 
writer  of  a  shipping  notice  was  no  expert  at  his  job 
unless  he  knew  some  way  of  showing  up  his  ship  and  her 
wonderful  qualities:  yet  he  dared  not  go  beyond  the 
truth  in  claiming  sailing  records,  or  he  would  soon 
have  an  irate  correspondence  to  deal  with. 

The  Kent,  according  to  the  testimony  of  her  captains, 
was  a  12 -knot  ship,  and  never  logged  13  except  for  a  few 
minutes  in  some  passing  squall. 

How  then  did  she  make  her  passages?  In  light 
weather  she  would  fan  along  in  the  faintest  of  airs 
when  other  ships  of  her  type  were  motionless,  and  like 
another  historic  ship,  the  George  of  Salem,  was  rarely 
known  to  lose  steerage  way.  Twice  she  was  49  days 
to  the  line  from  IMelbourne,  and  once  she  Avas  63  days 
to  the  Western  Isles,  truly  wonderful  work  for  a  ship  of 
her  type. 

This  little  frigate  had  the  scalps  of  many  famous 
ships  in  her  locker.  Twice  she  beat  the  Marco  Polo. 
On  the  first  occasion  the  two  ships  left  Port  Phillip 
Heads  together  on  4th  December,  1854  ;  and  after  the 
usual  strong  fair  winds  to  the  Horn  they  encountered 
very  light  weather  in  the  Atlantic,  never  reefing  topsails 
from  Cape  Horn  to  soundings. 


188  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

This  light  weather  was,  of  course,  the  little  Black- 
waller's  opportunity,  but  the  Marco  Polo  could  slip 
along  in  any  kind  of  weather,  and  in  the  end  the  two 
contestants  arrived  within  a  day  of  each  other. 

Kent  landed  her  mails  off  Hastings  on  27th  February, 
1855.  84  days  out  from  Melbourne,  whilst  the  Marco 
Polo  arrived  in  the  Mersey  on  Wednesday  evening,  28th 
February,  85  days  out. 

The  champions  of  Marco  Polo  argued  that  the 
Blackballer  carried  1000  tons  of  cargo  besides  her 
passengers  and  drew  22  feet  of  water,  whilst  the  Kent 
had  no  cargo  and  only  drew  li|  feet  of  water.  In 
1859  the  Marco  Polo  again  had  to  lower  her  flag  to 
the  Kent,  and  this  time  she  had  the  celebrated  Blue 
Jacket  as  a  companion.  The  three  ships  left  within  a 
day  of  each  other,  Kent  from  Plymouth  and  Marco  Polo 
and  Blue  Jacket  from  Holyhead,  all  bound  for  Melbourne. 
When  off  the  Island  of  Trinidad,  the  Kent  entered  the 
northern  semi-circle  of  a  cyclone,  and  Captain  Clayton, 
whose  first  voyage  it  was  in  command,  altered  his 
course  so  as  to  pass  to  the  northward  of  the  storm  circle. 
In  this  way  he  held  a  strong  fair  gale  which  kept  the 
Kent  going  at  her  top  speed  right  down  to  the  Cape. 
Meanwhile  the  Marco  Polo  and  Blue  Jacket,  steering  to 
the  south  of  the  centre,  were  held  up  by  head  winds  and 
made  a  very  slow  run  between  Trinidad  Island  and  the 
Cape  meridian. 

This  gave  the  little  Kent  a  lead  of  several  days  over 
her  huge  and  powerful  antagonists;  and  making  a 
good  steady  average  running  the  easting  down,  she 
arrived  in  Hobson's  Bay,  83  days  out,  beating  the  two 
Liverpool  clippers  by  several  days. 

The  Kent's  average  to  Melbourne  was  about  80  days. 

On  her  maiden  passage  she  left  London  27th  January, 


THE  KENT  189 

1853,  and  arrived  at  Port  Phillip  on  20th  April— 83 
days  out.  On  her  second  passage  she  left  London  on 
26tii  October,  1853,  and  arrived  Melbourne  on  12th 
January,  1854 — 78  days  out.  On  one  occasion  she 
beat  the  clipper  Empress  of  the  Seas  on  the  outward 
passage ;  this  ship  had  a  record  of  66^  days  to  Melbourne 
in  1861.  Her  greatest  feat,  however,  was  in  beating  the 
tea  clippers  home  from  the  line,  which  I  have  described 
fully  in  my  China  Clippers. 

It  will  also  be  noticed  in  the  sailing  notice  above 
that  a  cabin  passage  on  the  Kent  cost  80  guineas.  As 
a  rule  with  other  ships  this  passage  was  a  matter  of 
arrangement,  the  price  depending  a  good  deal  on  how 
the  ship  filled  up,  but  the  little  Kent  was  such  a  favourite 
that  a  stiffish  amount  had  to  be  asked  for  a  first-class 
cabin.  Passengers  had  in  those  days  to  provide  their 
own  bedding,  linen  and  soap,  but  drinks  were  free, 
champagne  being  provided  twice  a  week  on  Thursdays 
and  Sundays.  And  Captain  Clayton  describes  how  on 
these  days  the  dinner  finished  up  with  a  famous  plum 
duff  which  was  always  ablaze  with  brandy. 

The  Kent  was  a  favourite  treasure  ship,  the  gold 
being  stowed  in  a  strong  room  in  the  run  beneath  the 
captain's  cabin.  A  hatch  led  to  this  room  through  the 
floor  of  the  captain's  cabin.  This  was  caulked  down 
for  the  passage;  then,  on  the  ship's  arrival  in  the 
docks,  the  gold  was  transferred  to  the  Bank  in  waggons, 
protected  by  an  armed  escort.  On  one  occasion  she 
had  half-a-million  in  gold  bars  on  board. 

During  the  Trent  excitement,  at  the  outbreak  of  the 
American  Civil  War,  the  North  actually  sent  a  cruiser 
to  the  Channel  with  orders  to  seize  any  gold  ship  if 
war  broke  out  with  England.  This  was  in  18G1,  and 
the  Kent  arrived  home  soon  afterwards  with  her  usual 


190  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

cargo  of  bullion,  and  Captain  Clayton  was  considerably 
surprised  when  old  Money  Wigram  asked  him  anxiously 
if  he  had  seen  anything  of  the  Yankee  cruiser. 

The  Kent  was  always  a  strictly  disciplined  ship  and 
a  thorough  Blackwaller  in  all  her  routine.  No  chanty- 
inji  was  allowed :  orders  were  carried  out  to  the  tune  of 
the  bosun's  whistle.  Her  bosuns  were  most  important 
petty  officers,  there  being  two  bosun's  mates,  one  of 
whom  had  charge  of  the  main  and  the  other  of  the 
foremast.  They  were  always  addressed  as  Mister. 
The  Kent's  bosun,  when  in  port,  would  always  go  off 
in  one  of  the  boats,  as  soon  as  the  decks  had  been 
washed  down,  ropes  coiled  I'p  and  awnings  spread,  in 
order  to  square  up  the  yards.  This  was  a  most  im- 
portant function  and  required  a  most  correct  eye,  for 
the  bosun  would  be  sure  to  hear  from  the  mate  if  one 
of  the  yards  was  pointed  the  least  bit  too  much  or  too 
little. 

For  a  number  of  voyages  a  tall,  active,  powerful, 
hard  bitten  seaman  of  a  mahogany  cast  of  countenance, 
named  Walker,  was  chief  bosun  of  the  Kent.  This 
man  was  such  a  sailor  as  it  would  be  quite  impossible 
to  find  nowadays.  His  breed  is  as  extinct  as  the  dodo; 
he  was  the  beau-ideal  of  a  sailor,  a  real  Tom  Bowling, 
and  could  only  have  been  produced  in  the  foc's'le  of  a 
sailing  ship. 

The  Kent  carried  a  crew  of  about  60,  and  from  8  to  10 
midshipmen.  The  fiddler  supplied  the  place  of  the 
chanteyman.  Topsail  yards  were  always  walked  up 
to  the  mastheads  on  the  order  to  hoist  topsails — passen- 
gers joining  with  the  crew  in  tailing  on  to  the  halliards. 
Setting  sail  was  always  an  inspiring  scene,  with  the 
fiddler  scraping  his  best  and  the  lines  of  men  at  "stamp 
and  go"  on  the  main  deck.       The  three  topsails  were 


CAPTAIN  M.  T.  CLAYTON,  OF  THE  "  KENT." 


lUi^tmifssitmtmmi^^ 


&3s 


"  KENT  "  IN  THE  THAMES. 


[To  face  Page  190. 


i 


THE  KENT  191 

always  reefed  simultaneously.  Ten  minutes  was 
considered  time  enough  to  put  in  the  first  reef,  haul 
out  the  reef  tackles  and  hoist  away.  The  Kent's  first 
captain  was  Captain  Coleman;  he  was  celebrated  as  a 
polyphonist.  He  took  her  from  the  stocks  until  1856. 
Then  Captain  Brine  had  her  for  three  years,  with 
Clayton  as  his  chief  officer. 

Captain  Brine  was  one  of  the  real  old  sort.  His 
masts  and  yards  had  to  pass  the  test  of  a  plumb-line  or 
a  sextant.  The  Kent  had  hemp  rigging  in  his  day,  and 
his  masts  had  to  be  stayed  to  a  hair ;  so  the  handy  billy 
was  not  allowed  much  rest. 

Captain  Clayton  succeeded  Brine  in  1859,  and 
celebrated  his  first  passage  out  by  beating  Marco  Polo 
and  Blue  Jacket.  He  was  a  young  man  then,  hardlv 
more  than  a  boy,  and  the  command  of  a  Blackwall 
frigate  was  one  of  the  plums  of  the  Merchant  Service, 
so  one  may  be  sure  that  old  Money  Wigram  valued 
his  capabilities  very  highly. 

Captain  Clayton. 

Captain  Clayton,  who  is  still  alive,  is  one  of  the 
few  left  who  saw  sea  life  at  the  zenith  of  the  Golden  A^e 
of  Sail.  He  belongs  to  a  different  order  of  seamen  to 
that  of  the  present  day.  All  days,  all  periods  have 
their  romance  and  great  adventure,  but  that  romance 
was  purer,  less  sordidly  tainted  by  the  desperate 
struggle  for  existence  in  the  days  of  sail.  If  more 
strenuous  in  some  ways  it  was  less  in  others.  The 
equation  of  time  was  not  so  all  important  and  conse- 
quently human  nerve  was  less  strained,  less  overworked: 
and  experience  soaked  into  one,  it  did  not  come  in  a 
flash  and  depart  leaving  only  a  blurred  impression. 
These  old  seamen  had  great  memories  of  great  adven- 


194  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

From  here  the  ship  went  across  to  Java  in  ballast, 
and  as  usual  on  that  coast  the  whole  crew  fell  down  with 
Malay  fever,  from  which  young  Clayton  did  not  recover 
until  the  London's  arrival  at  Hongkong.  The  next 
port  was  Manila,  whence  they  went  to  Sydney,  where 
the  ship  was  sold  in  1847. 

In  June  of  that  year,  Clayton  joined  a  South  Sea 
trader,  the  British  barque  Statesman,  of  343  tons, 
Captain  David  Dewar. 

The  South  Seas  in  those  days  were  much  as  they  were 
in  Cook's  time.  The  chief  trade  was  sandalwood, 
which  fetched  £40  a  ton  in  the  Chinese  market  and 
was  chiefly  used  for  idols  and  rich  men's  coffins. 
Copra  was  not  yet  known  as  merchandise. 

The  agent  of  the  Statesman  was  the  celebrated  Captain 
Bobby  Towns,  one  of  the  early  merchant  princes  in  the 
South  Seas.  His  interests  ramified  through  all  the 
Islands.  His  white  traders  ruled  heavenly  paradises 
or  existed  on  sufferance  in  savage  atolls  throughout  the 
whole  Pacific,  before  the  advent  of  the  missionaries. 
Some  of  them  soaked  themselves  in  gin.  The  unfortun- 
ate or  those  lacking  in  tact  were  eaten  by  their  neigh- 
bours; the  fortunate  lived  in  fatty  degeneration  as 
petty  kings;  but  few  broke  with  the  life;  they  could 
not  leave  it  in  spite  of  months  of  isolation,  of  lack  of 
contact  with  their  own  kind. 

Into  the  midst  of  this  life  the  boy  Clayton  found 
himself  and  in  three  years  of  peril  and  adventure  grew  to 
be  a  man;  a  man  of  cool  nerve  and  infinite  resource, 
and  a  prime  seaman. 

On  her  first  voyage  the  Statesman  went  to  the  wild 
New  Hebrides  for  sandalwood;  and  at  Aneityum,  one 
Captain  Paton,  a  white  king,  filled  her  up  for  the 
Hongkong  market. 


CAPTAIN  CLAYTON  195 

On  her  second  voyage  she  was  fitted  for  a  more 
adventurous  undertaking.  Her  'tween  decks  were 
turned  into  a  trade  room  containing  old  iron  tomahawks, 
bright  calicoes,  blue  beads,  knives  of  all  sorts,  gaspipe 
muskets,  fish  hooks  and  a  plentiful  supply  of  pipes  and 
tobacco.  And  she  shipped  five  whaleboats  for  trading 
among  the  reefs ;  one  being  a  longboat  fitted  with  mast 
and  sail.  Four  apprentices,  well-born  Colonial  boys 
all  athirst  for  adventure,  joined  the  ship — boys  whose 
names  were  afterwards  well  known  in  Colonial  history. 
And  lastly  she  took  aboard  a  number  of  time-expired 
Loyalty  Island  natives  from  Bobby  Towns'  Lifu  Island 
plantation. 

Space  will  not  admit  of  all  Clayton's  adventures  in 
the  South  Seas,  of  escapes  from  hostile  savages,  of 
capsizes  on  boating  voj'ages  within  the  reefs,  of  narrow 
squeaks  from  drowning  and  from  sharks.  Nor  can  we 
detail  the  method  of  trading  with  a  hostile  shore,  the 
boat  crews  armed,  and  the  boats  kept  with  their  heads 
seaAvard,  ready  to  pull  clear  of  arrow  flights  or  hurtling 
spears. 

The  natives  looked  upon  white  men  sometimes  as 
gods,  sometimes  as  devils.  The  ship  was  considered 
to  be  a  giant  canoe,  and  it  was  a  never-ending  source 
of  wonder  that  she  did  not  tip  up  when  the  secretly 
frightened  islanders  were  induced  to  step  aboard. 
The  cabin  mirrors  terrified  all  dusky  visitors,  and  were 
dubbed  "  black  magic. ' '  The  water  showing  transparent 
in  the  Statesman's  rudder  trunk  was  another  cause  for 
savage  amazement.  Indeed  it  was  a  life  of  danger  and 
excitement,  of  new  experiences  for  both  white  and 
coloured,  of  new  wonders,  new  worlds,  new  peoples, 
such  as  is  no  longer  possible  in  these  days  when  every 
corner  of  our  planet  has  been  explored. 


196  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

But  Clayton  was  not  of  the  mould  of  an  island  trader, 
savage  kingdoms  with  all  their  charms  could  not  hold 
him;  he  was  too  virile  for  the  do  Ice  far  niente  island 
existence,  and  so  we  find  him  in  October,  1856,  signing 
on  as  chief  mate  of  the  crack  Blackwall  frigate  Kent, 
back  again  in  civilisation,  back  in  the  whirlpool  of  life, 
the  calm,  lazy  backwaters  of  the  islands  with  their 
sudden  tragedies  and  primitive  passions  a  thing  of  the 
past. 

Rowing  a  Thousand  -ton  Ship. 

Clayton,  when  he  took  over  the  little  Kent,  had  a 
difficult  task.  She  was  a  very  favourite  first-class 
passenger  ship  and  so  he  had  to  find  favour  with  his 
passengers;  secondly,  she  was  a  very  steady  passage 
maker,  and  he  had  to  maintain  her  reputation.  In 
both  of  these  points  he  was  eminently  successful.  He 
was  also  a  sailor  of  ideas,  who  was  not  easily  beaten  by 
adverse  circumstances. 

This  was  well  shown  on  the  passage  when  he  reached 
the  Western  Isles  in  63  days,  and  then  ran  into  a  flat 
calm.  He  at  once  decided  to  try  and  row  his  1000-ton 
frigate  across  the  calm  belt,  and  the  experiment  is  thus 
described  by  a  witness  in  a  ncAvspaper  interview:— 

There  was  a  slow  undulating  swell  from  the  westward:  the  ship  just 
had  steerage  way  and  no  more. 

Captain  Clayton  told  his  chief  officer  that  he  intended  to  try  and 
pull  the  Kent  along  until  he  got  wind,  and  instructed  him  to  rig  stages 
outside  on  both  sides  of  the  ship,  about  2  feet  above  the  water  and  get 
out  every  oar  on  board.  The  carpenter  and  crew  soon  had  stages 
firmly  secured  on  each  side,  with  stunsail  booms  rigged  along  for  gun- 
wales. There  were  about  30  oars  belonging  to  the  ship's  boats.  These 
made  fifteen  a  side  and  they  were  quickly  at  work. 

All  the  passengers  who  could  pull  went  down  to  help  the  crew,  and 
thej;  pulled  away  right  cheerfully.  The  ship's  fiddler  was  stationed 
at  one  gangway,  and  one  of  the  second  class  passengers,  who  had  a 
fiddle,  on  the  other;  and  there  they  fiddled  away  to  the  toiUng  oarsmen. 


CAPTAIN  CLAYTON  197 

The  oars  were  relieved  at  frequent  intervals,  for  there  were  plenty 
of  hands;  and  grog  was  served  out  regularly.  So  with  the  help  of 
music  and  judicious  splicing  of  the  mainbrace,  Captain  Clayton  kept 
his  people  at  the  oars  for  two  days. 

The  jollyboat  was  towed  astern  in  case  any  of  the  oarsmen  fell 
overboard. 

"By  the  evening  of  the  second  day,"  says  Captain 
Clayton,  "we  had  pulled  into  a  light  breeze.  I  set  all 
possible  sail  and  pulled  the  rowing  stages  up,  and  away 
we  went,  as  the  wind  gradually  increased  in  strength. 
Anyway  that  rowing  notion  of  mine  kept  the  ship's 
company  amused  even  if  we  did  not  move  the  old  Kent 
very  far. " 

Captain  Clayton  uses  Oil  in  a  Cape  Horn 
Gale. 

A  few  years  later  the  commander  of  the  Kent 
again  showed  his  enterprise  and  resource  by  using  oil 
to  save  his  ship  when  she  was  hard  pressed  by  a  furious 
Cape  Horn  gale. 

The  Kent  sailed  from  Melbourne  in  July,  1862,  with 
250  passengers  and  a  full  cargo,  including  about 
£400,000  in  gold  ingots. 

Just  before  she  sailed  a  steamer  arrived  from  Adelaide 
with  a  large  consignment  of  wheat  and  copper  ore, 
which  the  agents  insisted  in  transhipping  into  the  Kent 
in  spite  of  Captain  Clayton's  remonstrances. 

It  was  soon  found  that  Captain  Clayton  was  right,  for 
the  additional  cargo  began  to  strain  the  ship's  topsides 
before  the  Horn  was  reached,  and  the  pumps  had  to  be 
manned  to  keep  the  ship  clear  of  water. 

At  last,  when  the  Kent  was  within  200  miles  of  the 
Horn,  the  glass  fell  to  28.10  and  it  was  evident  that  dirt 
of  the  usual  Cape  Horn  kind  was  ahead. 

In  a  very  short  while  the  wind  was  blowing  with 
urricane  force,  whilst  a  huge  sea  of  Cape  Horn  greybeards 


198  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

threatened  to  wash  the  overladen  ship  from  stem  to 
stern.  Captain  Clayton  sent  down  his  upper  yards  and 
made  every  preparation  he  could,  well  knowing  that 
the  extra  cargo  would  severely  handicap  the  brave  little 
frigate  in  her  fight  for  life. 

Then  shortly  before  dark  a  regular  Cape  Horn  snorter 
came  whistling  down  upon  the  ship;  and  a  greybeard 
came  rolling  up  as  high  as  the  topsail  yard.  This  sea 
struck  the  ship  fair  amidships  on  the  port  side  and  hove 
her  down  on  her  beam  ends.  The  poop  skylights  were 
smashed  in,  and  the  poultry  coops  were  washed  down 
into  the  cuddy.  The  first-class  cabins  were  flooded, 
whilst  drowning  hens  and  wildly  cackling  ducks  and 
geese  swam  about  the  flooded  saloon.  The  first-class 
passengers,  who  were  in  their  bunks  and  many  of  them 
seasick,  found  themselves  in  danger  of  drowning  as 
the  cataract  of  water  poured  into  their  berths ;  and  they 
were  compelled  to  rouse  out  and  make  a  fight  for  life. 
At  last,  with  the  help  of  the  stewards  and  the  stronger 
aiding  the  weaker,  they  managed  to  shift  themselves  by 
means  of  the  after  companion  to  the  vacant  second 
class  cabins  on  the  lower  deck. 

Meanwhile  it  was  going  hardly  with  the  ship.  Things 
began  to  go  and  the  great  rollers  of  Cape  Stiff  began  to 
loot  the  ship.  The  cow,  house  and  all,  went  clean  over 
the  lee  rail;  the  galley  was  washed  out  and  reduced  to 
a  wreck;  many  of  the  men  were  seriously  injured;  and 
sails  began  to  blow  adrift  from  their  gaskets  and  go  to 
shreds,  whilst  the  close-reefed  main  topsail  blew  clean 
out  of  the  bolt-rope. 

It  was  a  terrible  night  and  Captain  Clayton,  who  at 
the  commencement  of  the  blow  had  lashed  himself  to 
the  mizen  fife-rail,  had  the  greatest  difficulty  in  keeping 
his  ship  from  being  overwhelmed. 


CAPTAIN  CLAYTON  199 

Shortly  before  daybreak  there  was  a  lull  in  the  fury 
of  the  storm,  and  by  noon  it  was  found  possible  to  open 
the  fore  and  main  hatches  so  as  to  jettison  the  additional 
cargo.  Helped  by  the  passengers  the  crew  tossed  bag 
after  bag  of  wheat  overboard,  the  copper  ore  followed, 
until  that  extra  consignment,  worth  about  £4000,  had 
all  gone  to  feed  the  fishes. 

This  eased  the  ship,  but  still  it  was  not  enough,  for 
she  was  straining  badly,  and  passengers  and  crew  had 
to  keep  the  pumps  going  without  ceasing. 

There  happened  to  be  some  casks  of  sperm  oil  in  the 
cargo.  A  piece  of  pump  hose  was  led  to  these  and  the 
oil  pumped  up  into  canvas  bags,  in  which  holes  had  been 
pricked.  These  bags  were  hung  out  to  windward,  and 
one  was  kept  dribbling  from  the  quarter  galleries, 
whilst  to  lessen  the  danger  of  being  pooped,  a  sail  of 
storm  canvas  was  stretched  over  the  stern. 

The  result  of  using  the  oil  was  instantly  perceptible. 
The  Cape  Horn  greybeards  ceased  to  break  within  the 
jange  of  the  oil.  Yet  as  the  ship,  which  was,  of  course, 
hove  to,  slid  down  into  the  trough  between  each  of  these 
hills  of  water,  the  sperm  oil  like  congealed  fat  was 
blown  over  her,  torn  from  the  crests  of  the  seas  by  the 
hurricane,  until  everything  reeked  of  whale  oil  from  the 
lower  mastheads  down.  And  weeks  afterwards,  when 
the  ship  had  reached  the  tropics,  the  oil  still  dripped 
from  aloft  to  the  vast  discomfort  of  those  on  the  deck 
beneath. 

However  by  this  timely  use  of  oil  Captain  Clayton 
saved  his  ship.  Indeed  the  oil  bags  had  hardly  been 
rigged  out  before  the  wind  shifted  and  it  came  on  to 
blow  harder  than  ever. 

Captain  Clayton,  who  had  the  additional  anxiety  of  a 
young  wife  with  an  infant  in  arms  on  board,  never  left 


200  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

the  deck  for  two  days  and  two  nights.  Sustained  by 
occasional  cups  of  coffee,  he  never  relaxed  his  vigilance 
until  the  wind  had  moderated  and  the  danger  was  past. 
On  the  Kent's  arrival  home,  the  general  average 
struck  on  the  cargo  for  the  jettisoned  wheat  and  copper 
ore  came  to  only  about  a  penny  in  the  pound.  Great 
praise  and  also  something  more  substantial  than  praise 
was  given  to  Captain  Clayton  by  the  owners  and 
underwriters  for  the  way  in  which  he  had  brought  his 
ship  through  the  Cape  Horn  gale. 

♦♦Kent's"  Narrow  Escape  from  Icebergs. 

On  the  Kent's  previous  homeward  passage,  she 
nearly  got  embayed  by  icebergs. 

She  left  Melbourne  on  15th  October,  1861,  with  22 
cabin  passengers,  172  steerage  passengers  and  105,603 

ounces  of  gold. 

On  27th  October  in  52°  S.,  162°  W.,  she  ran  into  a 
regular  nest  of  icebergs  which  stretched  across  he, 
course  as  far  as  the  eye  could  see.  Sixty-one  large  bergs 
were  counted  blocking  her  way.  Night  was  coming  on 
and  there  was  every  appearance  of  thick  and  dirty 
weather  approaching.  The  question  to  be  decided  was 
should  the  course  be  .'iltered  to  the  north  or  to  the  south. 

By  inspiration,  as  he  always  considered,  Captain 
Clayton  altered  his  course  to  the  south,  running  to  the 
S.S.E.  under  double  reefs  until  7  p.m.  By  9  p.m.  it 
was  blowing  a  heavy  gale,  but  no  more  ice  was  seen. 

A  few  days  later  Captain  Clayton  dreamt  that  he 
passed  the  Owen  Glendower,  which  had  sailed  from 
Melbourne  two  weeks  before  him.  The  next  morning 
a  ship  was  sighted  ahead  and  the  Kent  was  seen  to  be 
rising  her  fast.  It  proved,  sure  enough,  to  be  the 
Owen  Glendower,    and  the  Kent  passed   close  by   her. 


CAPTAIN  CLAYTON  201 

The  old  "charmer"  was  no  match  for  Wigram's  little 
flyer  and  was  soon  left  out  of  sight  astern.  She  event- 
ually arrived  in  the  London  River  two  weeks  after  the 
Kent,  though  it  must  be  confessed  that  the  latter  made 
an  unusually  line  passage. 

She  rounded  the  Horn  on  11th  November,  crossed  the 
line  on  7th  December,  and  hove  to  off  Plymouth  at  7  a.m. 
on  6th  January,  1862,  83  days  out. 

Captain  Clayton  gave  up  the  command  of  the  Kent 
in  order  to  settle  in  New  Zealand.  But  it  was  a  great 
wrench  and  though  comfortably  circumstanced,  he  often 
regretted  it.  "A  bonny  ship  she  was.  I  felt  my  soul 
when  I  resigned  the  command,"  he  wrote  to  me  some 
years  ago. 

He  took  the  new  paddle  steamer.  City  of  Brisbane,  of 
the  A. U.S.N.  Co.,  out  to  New  Zealand  under  sail  and 
steam,  making  the  passage  in  87  days. 

Her  owners  begged  him  to  remain  in  command  but  he 
had  decided  on  a  shore  billet,  and  became  the  marine 
surveyor  for  Auckland  of  the  New  Zealand  Insurance 
Company.  For  twenty  years  also  he  was  the  Examiner 
in  Seamanship  for  Masters  and  Mates,  whilst  in  1875 
he  was  appointed  Lloyd's  surveyor  for  Auckland;  be- 
sides these  posts  he  acted  as  agent  for  Money  Wigram's 
ships. 

Just  before  the  outbreak  of  the  Great  War  Captain 
Clayton  retired  to  his  dairy  farm  at  Manurewa.  The 
grand  old  sea  cap'cain  is  now  over  90  years  of  age.  Up 
to  within  four  year's  ago  he  still  continued  to  paint 
with  all  his  old  skill,  a  skill  which  is  well  shown  in  the 
illustrations  of  his  paintings  which  are  given  in  this  book. 
In  1915  he  still  continued  his  duty  as  a  lay  reader 
of  Auckland  Cathedral,  though  he  wrote  me  that  he 
feared  he  would  soon  have  to  give  it  up. 


202 


THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 


He  had  seven  sons  on  active  service  during  the  war, 
Long  may  he  live  to  enjoy  his  retirement  at  Manurewa. 

As  for  the  old  Kent,  I  believe  she  is  still  afloat  as  a 
hulk  on  the  West  Coast  of  America. 


The  Wreck  of  the  ''Dunbar." 

On  30th  November,  1853,  James  Laing  launched 
the  first-class  passenger  ship  Dunbar  for  Mr.  Duncan 
Dunbar.  This  ship  broke  the  record  by  some  300  tons 
for  ships  built  on  the  Wear,  and  was  considered  at  her 
launch  to  be  the  finest  merchant  ship  that  the  yards  of 
Sunderland  had  ever  produced;  her  addition  to  the 
Dunbar  fleet  raised  its  tonnage  to  close  on  35,000  tons. 
The  followirg  are  some  of  the  Dunbar's  chief  measure- 
ments : — 


Registered  tonnage 

.      1321  tons. 

Burthen         .... 

.      1980    „ 

Length       

.      201ft.  9  in 

Breadth     

.      35  ft. 

Depth  of  hold                   

.      22  ft.  7  in. 

Height  between  decks    .  . 

.      7  ft.  3  in. 

Length  of  poop    . . 

.      82  ft. 

Height  of  poop    . . 

7  ft. 

Weight  of  mainmast 

9  tons. 

As  was  always  the  case  with  Blackwall  frigates, 
strength  was  sought  after  before  all  else.  With 
timbers  of  the  best  British  oak,  she  was  planked, 
decked  and  even  masted  with  teak.  She  was  extra 
copper-fastened  and  strengthened  throughout  with 
enormous  iron  knees. 

Lighting  and  ventilation  were  the  chief  difficulties 
which  beset  the  mid-Victorian  shipbuilder,  and  in 
the  case  of  the  Dunbar  these  two  necessities  received 
such  attention  that  every  berth  in  the  'tween  decks 
was  separately  lighted  and  the 'tween  decks  themselves 


THE  DUNBAR  203 

were  so  large  and  airy  that  they  were  compared  to  a 
public  hall. 

As  regards  finish,  we  are  told  that  the  break  of  the 
Dunbar's  poop  was  tastefully  panelled  and  ornamented 
by  a  row  of  polished  teak  pillars.  The  new  ship  was 
generally  admitted  to  be  the  finest  in  Duncan  Dunbar's 
fleet;  her  name  will  ever  be  remembered  both  at  home 
and  in  Australia  as  that  of  one  of  the  most  tragic  wrecks 
in  the  annals  of  our  Merchant  Marine. 

The  Dunbar  was  put  on  the  run  to  Sydney,  and  under 
Captain  Green  soon  became  a  very  favourite  ship. 
In  the  spring  of  1857  she  left  London  for  Sydney  with 
a  cargo  valued  at  £22,000,  30  cabin  passengers,  33 
steerage  passengers  and  a  crew  of  59,  making  122  souls 
all  told.  She  sailed  soon  after  the  Duncan  Dunbar, 
a  new  ship  of  the  firm,  which  was  on  her  maiden  voyage; 
there  were  also  two  other  ships  on  their  way  to  Sydney 
in  front  of  her,  the  Vocalist  and  Zemindar.  The 
Dunbar  made  a  splendid  run  out  and  passed  all  these 
three  ships. 

Late  on  the  afternoon  of  20tli  August,  she  made  the 
Heads.  The  weather  was  very  threatening  with  the 
wind  fresh  from  S.E.  The  sea  had  been  rising  all 
the  morning  and  by  3  o'clock  a  mountainous  surf 
was  breaking  against  the  Heads,  whilst  heavy  rain 
was  falling  from  a  black  pall  of  dirty,  leaden  storm 
clouds. 

The  Dunbar  had  come  along  in  sight  of  the  Coast, 
and  just  before  dark  she  was  picked  up  by  the  signalman 
on  duty  at  the  South  Head,  named  Packer,  who  was 
soon  able  to  distinguish  her  painted  ports  and  red  lion 
figurehead.  He  immediately  reported  "Sail  ho  !" 
by  a  flag  signal  to  the  Sydney  Post  Office. 

Packer  next  attempted   to  get   into  communication 


204  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

with   the   ship,    and   hoisted   the   following   signals    in 
Marryat's  code: — 

1910 —    What  ship  is  that.'  " 

1495 — ■   Where  do  you  come  from?  " 

lg93 — '•  How  many  days  are  you  out  ?  " 

Packer  declared  fifty  years  after  the  event  that  he  got 
answers  from  the  ship;  but  it  is  hard  to  reconcile  this 
statement  with  the  fact  that,  for  some  hours  after  the 
discovery  of  the  wreck  on  the  following  day,  it  was 
supposed  to  be  either  the  Duncan  Dunbar  or  else  one  or 
other  of  the  two  emigrant  ships,  Vocalist  and  Zemindar. 

It  was  soon  too  dark  to  distinguish  the  ship,  but 
when  last  seen,  according  to  ihe  signalman,  she  was 
standing  to  the  northward.  With  the  wind  blowing 
directly  on  shore  and  with  every  appearance  of  a  very 
dirty  night.  Captain  Green  had  no  relish  for  beating  on 
and  off  at  the  very  door  of  one  of  the  finest  harbours  in 
the  world,  so  he  determined  to  run  in,  open  up  the  light 
on  the  rocks,  called  the  "Sow  and  Pigs,"  within  the 
entrance,  and  let  go  his  anchor  in  the  shelter  of  Watson's 

Bay. 

Sending  his  first  and  second  officers  and  three  sharp- 
eyed  seamen  on  to  the  foc's'le  head,  he  bore  away  and 
headed  for  what  he  supposed  to  be  the  entrance  between 
the  Heads. 

It  was  a  pitch  dark  night,  and  the  hard  S.E.  gale  was 
blowing  stronger  in  every  squall,  but  the  shore  lights 
must  have  been  clearly  visible.  We  shall  never  know 
how  the  mistake  was  made  or  whose  mistake  it  was, 
but  for  some  reason  or  other  the  South  Head  light  was 
kept  on  the  starboard  bow  instead  of  on  the  port  bow, 
and  the  ship  was  steered  for  a  dent  in  the  cliffs  which 
was  known  as  the  Gap. 

Suddenly  there  came  the  terrible  cry  of  "Breakers 


THE  DUNBAR  205 

ahead  !"  from  the  lynx-eyed  second -mate.  All  hands 
were  on  deck,  and  all  was  ready  for  going  about,  but 
before  the  helm  could  be  put  down  the  ship  was  in  the 
grip  of  the  breakers,  and  was  washed  on  to  the  rocks 
which  stretch  out  in  flat -topped  ledges  from  the  base  of 
the  precipitous  sandstone  cliff. 

The  passengers  were  all  below,  having  retired  for  the 
night;  but  when  the  ship  struck  many  of  them  made 
a  desperate  attempt  to  gain  the  deck,  but  were  forced 
back  again  by  the  boiling  surf  which  was  making  a  clean 
breach  over  the  vessel. 

A  survivor's  account  of  such  a  terrible  scene  of 
destruction  must  needs  be  hazy  and  disconnected,  and 
we  know  little  of  the  heart-rending  incidents  which 
took  place  whilst  the  Dunbar  was  being  torn  to  pieces 
by  the  surf. 

According  to  Johnstone,  the  only  survivor,  the  ship 
took  a  full  hour  breaking  up,  during  which  time  those  on 
deck  were  swept  overboard  by  the  looting  seas,  whilst 
those  below  were  drowned  like  rats  in  a  trap.  Johnstone 
and  two  others  were  the  last  to  hang  on  to  the  wreck, 
then  a  big  roller  came  in  and  took  them  and  the  part  of 
the  ship  to  which  they  were  clinging  away  with  it. 

Johnstone  war;  washed  up  on  to  a  ledge  along  with  the 
old  bosun;  the  bosun  had  not  sufficient  strength  and 
endurance  to  hang  on,  but  Johnstone  clung  like  a 
limpet  and  survived.  His  own  account  was  as 
follows : — 

I  was  eventually  washed  off  the  wreck,  and  driven  up  under  the 
clifis,  where  I  succeeded  in  securing  hold  of  a  projecting  rock.  I 
remained  there  until  such  time  as  the  ship  broke  up.  Up  to  this  time 
the  Dunbar  acted  as  a  breakwater,  but  as  she  broke  up  I  had  to  clear  out. 
I  managed  to  scramble  from  one  ledge  of  a  rock  to  another,  till  I  reached 
one  20  feet  high  from  where  I  was  washed  up.  It  was  about  midnight 
on  a  Thursday  when  I  tirst  caught  the  rock,  and  I  remained  there  until 


206  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

noon  on  the  following  Saturday  (in  all  thirty-six  hours).  On  the  Satur- 
day the  sea  went  down,  and  I  dropped  from  one  ledge  of  rock  to  another 
till  I  could  see  the  top  of  the  cliffs  overhead.  I  saw  one  man  there  in 
the  morning,  but  before  I  could  attract  his  attention  I  was  forced  to 
return  to  my  retreat  owing  to  three  big  seas  following  one  another, 
looking  as  if  they  would  wash  me  away. 

We  will  now  take  up  the  tragic  story  from  the  shore 
end. 

During  the  night  of  the  wreck,  Mrs.  Graham,  the  wife 
of  the  signalmaster,  woke  up  and  called  to  her  husband : 
"Go  down,  Jim,  and  rescue  the  poor  fellow  in  the  sea.  " 

The  wind  was  screaming,  the  roar  of  the  surf  was 
deafening,  and  the  spray  swept  in  gusts  against  the 
signal  station,  so  that  the  small  house  was  shaken  to 
its  foundations.  The  fury  of  the  gale  was  enough  to 
unnerve  any  woman.  So  thought  the  head  signalman, 
he  soothed  his  wife  and  lay  down  again.  She  dozed 
off,  but  in  an  hour  or  so,  again  awoke  her  husband  and 
urged  him  to  rescue  the  man,  whom  she  had  dreamt 
about. 

Again  a  third  time  she  had  a  vivid  dream  or  vision — 
one  cannot  say  which — of  a  man  struggling  in  the  surf 
at  the  base  of  the  cliffs.  This  time  she  knocked  on  the 
partition  separating  the  Graham's  room  from  Packer's, 
and  besought  Packer:  ' '  For  God 's  sake  to  help  that  man 
under  the  cliffs. " 

But  both  men  knew  that  with  such  a  storm  raging 
there  was  no  possibility  of  rescue  work,  even  if  there 
were  a  man  drowning  in  the  surf.  Two  days  later 
when  Mrs.  Graham  saw  Johnstone  she  recognised  him 
as  the  man  of  her  dreams. 

On  the  following  morning  the  wind  was  still  blowing 
with  terrific  force.  The  boom  of  the  tremendous  surf 
could  be  heard  for  miles  and  clouds  of  spray  blew  over 
the  cliffs  and  even  over  the  top  of  the  lighthouse,  75 


THE  DUNBAR  207 

feet  high.  The  top  of  the  cliffs  were  drenched  with 
salt  water,  to  stand  out  in  which  was  like  a  shower  bath. 
The  kitchen  garden  of  the  signal  station  was  ruined  by 
the  salt;  the  water  in  the  fresh  water  tanks  was  so 
contaminated  by  the  salt  spray  that  it  was  rendered 
undrinkable,  whilst  the  flying  spume  reached  as  far  as 
the  Marine  Hotel,  half  a  mile  away. 

The  signalmen  fought  their  way  to  the  edge  of  the 
cliff  to  see  if  there  was  any  sign  of  the  vessel  which  had 
been  sighted  the  night  before.  But  the  expected  sight 
of  a  ship  hove  to  under  lower  topsails  or  running  in  for 
the  entrance  was  nowhere  visible.  Their  eyes,  however, 
were  caught  by  something  tossing  in  the  surf,  which 
looked  like  a  bale  of  wool,  but  which  afterwards  turned 
out  to  be  the  bodies  of  Mrs.  Egan  and  her  daughter, 
locked  fast  in  each  other's  arms. 

Then,  indeed,  they  looked  down  instead  of  out  to  sea; 
and  there  lay  the  ship,  a  hollow  shell  in  the  wash  of  the 
rollers,  with  her  head  to  the  south  and  her  back  broken. 

The  news  was  immediately  signalled  to  Sydney  that 
a  ship  had  gone  ashore  in  the  Gap,  and  crowds  of 
anxious  people,  including  the  Mayor  of  Sydney  and 
Mr.  Daniel  Egan,  the  Postmaster-General,  were  soon  on 
their  way  to  the  South  Head.  By  this  time  wreckage 
of  every  description  including  a  broken  mast  was  seen 
tossing  about  in  the  broken  water  along  the  edge  of  the 
cliffs. 

And  there  was  worse  than  wreckage.  The  first  body 
seen  was  that  of  a  woman,  nude,  with  both  legs  cut  off 
above  the  knees. 

This  horrible  sight  was  revealed  by  the  backwash 
as  it  rushed  out  over  the  flat  table  rock  which  almost 
fills  the  Gap.  Then  in  came  another  comber  and  it 
was  seen  no  more. 


208  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

At  first  there  was  no  idea  that  anyone  could  be  living 
down  in  that  maelstrom  of  raging  seas,  but  evidently  an 
attempt  was  made,  probably  during  a  lull,  to  rescue 
some  of  the  bodies,  for  the  Mayor  wrote  the  following 
account  to  the  Sydney  Morning  Herald: — 

At  the  Gap  a  brave  fellow  volunteered  to  go  down  to  send  up  some 
of  the  mangled  corpses  now  and  then  lodged  on  the  rocks  beneath  us; 
now  a  trunk  of  a  female  from  the  waist  upwards,  then  the  legs  of  a  male, 
the  body  of  an  infant,  the  right  arm,  shoulder  and  head  of  a  female,  the 
bleached  arm  and  extended  hand,  with  the  wash  of  the  receding  water, 
almost  as  it  were  in  life,  beckoning  for  help;  then  a  leg  and  thigh,  a 
human  head  would  be  hurled  along;  the  sea  dashing  most  furiously  as 
it  in  derision  of  our  efforts  to  rescue  its  prey.  One  figure,  a  female, 
nude,  and  tightly  clasping  an  infant  to  the  breast,  both  locked  in  the 
firm  embrace  of  death,  was  for  a  moment  seen;  then  the  legs  of  some 
trunkless  body  would  leap  from  the  foaming  cataract,  caused  by  the 
returning  sea,  leaping  wildly  with  feet  seen  plainly  upwards  in  the  air  to 
the  abyss  below  to  be  again  and  again  tossed  up  to  the  gaze  of  the 
sorrowing  throng  above.  We  provided  a  rope,  lowered  the  man,  with 
some  brave  stout  hearts  holding  on  to  the  rope  above,  and  in  this 
manner  some  portions  of  the  mutilated  remains  were  hauled  up  to  the 
top  of  the  cliff  until  a  huge  sea  suddenly  came  and  nearly  smothered 
those  on  the  cliS,  wetting  them  all  to  the  skin. 

Little,  however,  could  be  done  that  da^^  And  the 
one  numbing  anxiety  of  everyone  was  to  know  the  name 
of  the  ship.  At  first  a  rumour  went  round  that  it  was 
the  Duncan  Dunbar,  as  a  gangway  panel  with  a  lion 
rampant  carved  upon  it  had  been  discovered  jammed 
high  up  on  the  rocks.  At  last  one  of  the  ship's  head- 
boards with  the  name  Dunbar  upon  it  was  picked  up 
inside  the  Heads  and  all  doubt  was  set  at  rest. 

By  this  time  thousands  had  battled  out  the  9  miles 
from  Sydney  in  spite  of  the  storm  in  their  faces  and  the 
road  converted  into  a  quagmire.  The  news  that  it  was 
the  Dunbar  spread  from  mouth  to  mouth  amongst  the 
mournful  crowd  on  the  cliffs. 

The  poor  Postmaster -General,  who  had  inadvertently 
watched  his  own  wife  and  child  tossing  in  the  sea,  fell 


THE  DUNBAR  209 

back  in  a  faint.  Low  cries  of  anguish  ran  quivering 
through  knots  of  people,  whose  eyes  seemed  to  be  glued 
to  that  grim  table  rock,  over  which  the  mutilated  bodies 
of  their  friends  and  relatives  washed  to  and  fro.  Many 
of  the  best  known  families  in  Sydney  were  return- 
ing in  the  Dunbar  after  a  holiday  in  the  Old  Country, 
and  even  its  humble  steerage  held  many  a  Sydney -sider. 

Friday  night  fell  upon  a  city  in  mourning — and  upon 
a  young  sailorman,  clinging  to  a  rock,  alive  in  the 
midst  of  the  mutilated  remains  of  his  dead  shipmates. 

On  the  morning  of  Saturday  the  sea  had  gone  down 
considerably.  A  man  named  Palmer  walked  out  along 
a  ledge  in  order  to  be  able  to  see  further  under  the  cliff, 
with  the  result  that  Johnstone  was  discovered  lying 
on  the  rocks. 

The  next  question  was  how  to  get  at  him  from  the  top 
of  the  cliff.  Whilst  the  signallers  were  arranging  a 
derrick  contrivance  with  a  signalling  yard  for  lowering 
someone  down  over  the  face  of  the  cliff,  a  hat  went 
round  for  whoever  should  volunteer,  and  £15  was 
collected. 

A  volunteer  was  found  in  an  18-year  old  Icelander, 
named  Antonio  Woollier.  Curiously  enough  he  was 
not  a  sailor,  but  a  watchmaker's  apprentice.  He 
gallantly  refused  the  money,  saying  his  only  wish 
was  to  help  a  fellow -being  in  distress. 

A  signal  for  hauling  up  was  arranged  and  over 
the  edge  went  the  boy.  There  was  an  anxious  wait 
and  then  the  signal  to  haul  up  was  received.  The 
seamen  on  the  rope  at  once  declared  that  they 
were  hauling  up  something  much  heavier  than  the 
boy  they  had  let  down. 

The  excitement  culminated  when  a   huge  sailor  of 
6  ft.  2  ins.  poked  his  head  above  the  edge  of  the  cliff, 
p 


210  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

It   was    James    Johnstone,    A.B.,    aged    23,    the    sole 
survivor  of  the  Dunbar. 

He  was  undoubtedly  a  man  of  the  most  unusual 
strength  and  endurance,  for  in  spite  of  his  terrible 
mauling  in  the  breakers  and  36  hours  on  the  rocks 
without  water  or  food,  he  was  able  to  walk  to  the  Marine 
Hotel,  where  he  was  given  restoratives  and  put  to  bed. 
Sympathy  of  a  very  practical  nature  poured  in  upon 
him  and  for  some  days  he  was  the  lion  of  Sydney,  with 
his  pockets  full  of  money,  a  girl  on  each  arm,  and  a 
crowd  of  admirers  in  his  train,  he  soon  became  a  familiar 
figure  in  the  streets  and  at  the  theatres  and  music  halls. 

Years  later  the  Carvarra,  a  fine  new  paddle  boat  of 
the  U.S.N. Co.,  with  a  full  list  of  passengers,  struck, 
on  the  Oyster  Bank  off  the  Knobbys  at  Newcastle, 
New  South  Wales.  It  was  the  middle  of  the  night  and 
all  hands  went  down  with  the  ship  except  one  little 
foremasthand  named  "Hedges."  Hedges  was  washed 
on  to  a  buoy  at  the  mouth  of  the  harbour,  from  which 
he  was  rescued  by  the  harbourmaster's  boat,  whose 
coxswain  was  Johnstone  of  the  Dunbar. 

Johnstone  was  for  many  years  chief  lighthouse 
keeper  at  Newcastle.  He  was  still  hale  and  hearty 
though  over  70  years  of  age,  and  was  living  at  Petersham, 
Sydney,  on  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  wreck  of  the 
Dimbar. 

On  the  Saturday  which  saw  the  rescue  of  Johnstone, 
the  Black  Swan,  steamer,  with  the  Superintendent  of 
Police,  Captain  McLerie,  on  board,  commenced  a 
search  of  the  harbour. 

The  searchers  picked  up  several  bodies  in  the  harbour, 
three  were  found  on  the  beach  at  Man  ley,  others  at 
the  Quarantine  Station,  whilst  two  coffins  were  filled 
with  the  remains  which  were  foimd  on  the  rocks  of  the 


THE  DUNBAR  211 

Gap.  Most  of  the  bodies  were  unrecognisable,  and  out 
of  the  122  on  board  numbers  were  devoured  by  sharks. 
The  body  of  a  man  was  picked  up  quite  undisfiguerd 
except  that  it  lacked  the  head,  and  as  it  was  supposed 
to  be  that  of  an  heir  to  some  property,  the  fact  that  his 
identity  could  not  be  entirely  proved  caused  years  of 
litigation. 

The  inquest  was  a  most  distressing  affair.  The 
little  dead-house  near  the  Mariners  Church  was  quite 
full  of  the  mangled  remains  and  more  than  one  juror 
fainted. 

The  funeral  was  long  remembered  in  Sydney ;  a  long 
line  of  hearses,  headed  by  a  band  playing  the  "Dead 
March"  in  "Saul"  and  followed  by  every  kind  of 
vehicle  from  private  carriages  to  omnibuses,  wound 
its  way  along  George  Street.  Every  ship  half-masted 
her  ensign,  minute  guns  were  fired  and  bells  tolled, 
whilst  all  Sydney  mourned. 

Willis'  Wonder,  "The  Tweed  " 

Some  ships  seem  to  have  the  finger  of  God  in 
their  design,  the  supreme  of  man's  craftmanship  in 
their  building  and  the  touch  of  genius  in  their  character. 
Such  ships  stand  out  above  all  their  contemporaries. 
Old  seamen  speak  of  them  with  the  affection  of  lovers. 
Poets  sing  of  them.  Chanteymen  glorify  their  qualities 
and  their  deeds  in  hundreds  of  verses.  Journalists 
pigeon-hole  the  pages  of  their  log  books  as  if  they  were 
public  men.  And  those  who  have  sailed  in  them  lord 
it  regally  over  their  fellows  and  begin  every  yarn  with 
the  stock  phrase,  "When  I  was  in  the  old  so  and  so." 
These  divinely  inspired  ships  sail  like  witches,  come 
unscathed  through  the  severest  storms,  bring  up  fair 
winds  and  break  up  calms,  coin  money  I'or  their  owners. 


212  THE  BLACKAVALL  FRIGATES 

and  are  never  sick  or  sorry  from  their  launch  to  their 

demise. 

Of  such  was  Willis'  wonder  The  Tvceed,  which  for  the 
first  eight  years  of  her  existence  was  the  paddle  wheel 
frigate  Punjaub  of  the  Indian  Navy. 

Lloyd's  Register  gives  the  date  of  her  launch  as  1857. 
This  is  indeed  a  curious  slip,  for  the  Punjaub  had  a 
well-known  share  in  the  making  of  history  at  the 
bombardment  and  capture  of  Bushire  during  the  Persian 
War  in  1855. 

In  1852,  the  Punjaub  and  Assaye,  the  last  two  frigates 
to  be  built  for  the  old  Indian  Navy  of  the  Hon.  East 
India  Company,  were  laid  down  in  Bombay  Dockyard 
by  Cursetjee  Rustomjee,  master  builder,  and  the  fifth 
of  the  famous  Parsee  family  of  Wadia  to  hold  that  post. 
The  world  has  seen  many  great  shipbuilding  families, 
and  by  no  means  least  of  these  were  the  Wadias. 

In  1735  Lowjce  Nusserwanjee  was  foreman  of  the 
East  India  Company's  yard  at  Surat.  Mr.  Dudley,  the 
Master  Attendant  of  the  company,  sent  Lowjce  in  this 
year  to  Bombay  to  start  a  yard  there. 

Lowjee,  like  all  the  Wadias,  combined  great  skill  in 
his  profession  with  great  honesty  of  work  and  great 
integrity  in  the  purchase  of  materials  and  handling  on 
moneys.  And  from  the  first  the  ships  built  in  the 
Bombay  Dockyard  by  the  Wadia  family  were  celebrated 
for  their  strength,  for  their  durability,  and  for  their 
speed. 

The  workmanship  of  the  Wadias  could  not  be  excelled 
in  Europe;  their  material,  Malabar  teak,  owing  to  its 
natural  oil  was  the  best  and  most  long  wearing  of  ail 
the  woods  used  in  shipbuilding,  and  in  the  design 
their  ships  were  kept  well  abreast  of  the  times. 

There  was,  however,  a  touch  of  romance  in  the  design 


HALF  MIDSHIP  SECTION 


a 


Half    Midship 


[To  face  Page  212. 


THE  PUNJAUB  AND  ASSAYE  213 

of  the  Punjaub.  Actually  the  credit  lor  her  lines  has 
been  given  to  Oliver  Lang,  but  he  was  always  supposed 
to  have  drawn  his  inspiration  from  the  hull  of  an  old 
French  frigate,  one  of  those  beautiful  shapes  from  the 
pencil  of  the  French  naval  architect,  which  were  the 
wonder,  envy  and  despair  of  our  own  designers  during 
the  eighteenth  century  and  early  part  of  the  nineteenth 
century. 

If  we  compare  the  measurements  of  the  Punjaub  and 
the  Assaye,  we  at  once  see  in  the  additional  overall 
length  of  the  Punjaub  for  the  same  gross  tonnage  a 
reason  for  her  greater  speed. 

Tons         length  length  beam  depth  engines 

overall  regd. 

Punjaub           1745  net            285  250  39.6            25  700  h. p. 

Assaye              1800  gross        277  250  39.6            25  650  h. p. 

Both  ships  were  built  of  carefully  picked  Malabar 
teak,  and  no  ships  were  ever  better  or  more  honestly 
constructed.  Their  engines  seem  to  have  given  little 
trouble,  but  the  cumbersome  paddle-wheel  boxes 
undoubtedly  took  off  from  their  speed  through  the 
water  and  spoilt  their  appearance  when  under  sail. 
They  were  armed  with  ten  8 -inch  68 -pounders. 

The  Assaye  was  launched  on  the  15th  March,  1854, 
at  midnight,  in  the  presence  of  Lord  Elphinstone, 
Rear -Admiral  Sir  Henry  and  Lady  Leeke  and  nearly 
300  guests,  who  had  been  celebrating  the  occasion  by  a 
ball  at  the  dockyard. 

The  Punjaub  was  launched  on  the  21st  April,  1854^ 
but  her  glide  into  the  water  does  not  seem  to  have 
attracted  so  much  attention,  though  she  was  the  finer 
ship  of  the  two. 

Both  ships  were  some  months  fitting  out,  the  Assays 
owing  to  the  non-arrival  of  her  engines  from  England 
not  being  ready  for  sea  until  October. 


214  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

On  the  1st  November,  1854,  Bombay  was  devastated 
by  a  cyclone,  which  nearly  finished  off  the  Assaye 
though  the  Punjaub  escaped  damage.  The  pressure  of 
the  wind  registered  35  lbs.  per  square  foot;  the  gardens 
of  Bombay  were  flattened  out  as  if  a  roller  had  passed 
over  them,  houses  were  unroofed  and  otherwise  damaged, 
whilst  the  shipping  had  the  worst  time  of  all.  Five 
square-rigged  ships  and  three  steamers  went  ashore, 
most  of  them  dismasted,  and  142  native  craft  were 
wrecked  or  sunk. 

The  Assaye  broke  adrift  and  carried  away  her  bowsprit 
against  the  Castle  walls,  and  with  difficulty  was  saved 
from  total  shipwreck. 

The  Hastings,  receiving  ship,  sprang  a  leak  and  drove 
from  her  moorings.  The  Queen  got  a  line  aboard  her 
but  failed  to  hold  her.  She  fouled  the  ship  Mystery, 
and  then  battered  herself  almost  to  pieces  against  the 
Castle  walls.  All  the  yachts  and  the  state  barges  of 
the  Governor  and  Sir  Henry  Lecke,  moored  off  the 
Apollo  Bunder,  were  lost. 

The  Elphinstone  was  only  saved  by  the  skill  of  her 
crew.  She  grounded  off  the  Custom  House  basin,  but 
managed  to  back  off,  and  with  only  a  staysail  set, 
contrived  to  get  clear  of  the  crowd  of  distressed  ships  and 
make  the  outer  anchorage. 

The  surveying  brig  Palinurus  was  dismasted  and 
grounded  off  the  dockyard  breakwater. 

The  cyclone  burst  over  the  city  at  midnight  on 
1st  November,  was  at  its  worst  at  3  a.m.,  and  with  the 
usual  shifts  round  the  compass  lasted  till  daybreak  on 
the  2nd. 

It  was  The  Tweed's  first  baptism  by  the  elements  and 
she  came  out  of  it  unscathed.  I  shall  refer  to  her  as  the 
Punjaub  until  her  name  was  changed. 


From  a  Painting 


THE  TWEED. 


THE  TWEED,"  OFF  GRAVESEND. 


[To  face  Page  214. 


THE  PUNJAUB  215 

On  the  2iid  January,  1855,  she  was  taken  over  by 
Commander  John  W.  Young,  who  afterwards  distin- 
guished himself  on  the  Assaye  at  Bushire  and  Mohamra. 
He  had  already  been  employed  in  the  fitting  out  of  the 
two  ships,  but  the  time  had  now  arrived  when  they  were 
to  begin  their  sea  lives. 

*'Punjaub"  takes  the   10th  Hussars  to  the 
Crimea. 

In  the  winter  of  1854  orders  came  out  from  home 
for  the  10th  Hussars  and  12th  Lancers  to  go  to  the 
Crimea.  They  were  badly  wanted  as  reinforcements  in 
the  struggle  before  Sebastopol,  and  the  quickest 
possible  despatch  was  urged. 

To  the  Punjaub  was  assigned  the  honour  of  carrying 
the  Colonel  and  nearly  half  the  10th  Hussars. 

In  six  days  she  was  fitted  with  stalls  for  250  horses: 
and  on  the  9th  January,  1855,  she  sailed  for  Suez  with 
the  steam  frigate  Auckland,  steam  sloop  Victoria  and 
sailing  transport  Sultana  with  the  rest  of  the  regiment 
and  their  horses. 

On  the  21st  February,  the  Queen,  Precursor,  Earl  oj 
Clare,  Earl  Grey  and  Jessica  embarked  part  of  the  12th 
Lancers  at  Bombay  and  also  sailed  for  Suez.  The 
rest  of  the  12th  were  picked  up  at  Mangalore  by  the 
Assaye  and  Semiramis;  the  Assaye,  however,  broke 
down,  and  had  to  tranship  her  men  on  to  the 
Semiramis. 

On  the  passage  to  Suez  the  Punjaub  first  gave  a  taste 
of  her  sailing  powers;  and  so  superior  did  she  prove 
herself  to  her  consorts  that  though  she  put  out  her 
fires  and  lowered  her  topsails  on  the  cap  whilst  they 
staggered  along  under  full  head  of  steam  and  press  of 
sail,  she  ran  them  hull  down  in  spite  of  the  impediment 


216  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

of  her  great  paddle  boxes.  Commander  Young  and 
his  first  officer,  Lieut.  Worsley,  were  both  in  despatches 
by  the  Governor  of  Bombay,  for  the  part  they  played 
in  this  important  piece  of  transport  work. 

The   *'Punjaub"   and   "Assaye"    in    the 
Persian  War. 

On  the  return  of  the  ships  from  Suez,  there  was  a 
general  shift  over  of  the  commanders  in  the  Indian  Navy. 

Young  was  transferred  to  the  Assaye  on  11th  May, 
1855,  and  a  very  well-known  officer.  Commander 
Montriou,  was  given  the  Punjaub.  He  had  hardly 
taken  over  before  he  was  made  Master  Attendant  of  the 
Dockyard  and  the  command  of  the  superb  frigate  fell  to 
the  luck  of  Lieut.  Alexander  Foulerton,  who  was  made 
Acting  Commander. 

In  June,  1855,  the  Indian  Navy  commenced  fitting 
out  a  squadron  for  the  Persian  War :  the  fighting  ships 
consisted  of: — 

Assaye — Flagship  of   Rear- Admiral   Sir.   Henry  J.    Leeke,  Captain 

Griffith  Jenkins  (Captain  of  the  Fleet).      Acting-Commander 

G.  N.  Adams. 
Punjaub — Acting-Commander  .\.  Foulerton. 
Semiramis — 1031    tons,   250   horse-power,    6   guns.     Captain    J.  W. 

Young. 
Ferooz — 1450  tons,  500  horse-power,  8  guns.    Commander  J.  Rennie. 
Ajdaha — 1440  tons,  500  horse-power,  8  guns. 
Falkland — 494  tons,  18-gun  sloop  of  war.       Commodore  Ethersey 

Lieut.  J.  Trouson. 
Berenice — 756  tons,  220  horse-power;    4  guns.     Lieutenant  A.  W^ 

Chitty. 
Victoria — 705    tons,    230    horse-power,    5    guns.     Lieut.    E.    Giles 

(and  later  Lieut.  Manners). 
CUve — 387  tons,  18-gun  sloop  of  war.      Commander  Albany  Grieve. 

The  expeditionary  force  consisted  of  5670  combatants 
(2270  Europeans),  3750  camp  followers,  1150  horses 
and  430  bullocks. 


THE  PUNJAUB  217 

Some  of  tlie  Infantry  were  taken  by  the  warships; 
but  20,000  tons  of  transports  were  also  required. 

Perhaps  their  names  may  be  of  interest ;  there  were 
6  steamers  and  23  sailing  ships. 

The  steamers  consisted  of  the  Precursor,  Pottinger 
and  Chusan,  all  belonging  to  the  Peninsular  and  Oriental 
Co.;  and  the  Sir  J.  Jejeebhoy-  Lady  Falkland  and 
Bombay,  of  the  Bombay  Steam  Navigation  Co. 

The  sailing  ships  for  the  transport  of  the  Artillery 
were: — Rajah  of  Cochin,  Melbourne,  Madge  Wildfire, 
Sibella,  Dakota,  Merse  and  Mirzapore. 

For  Light  Cavalry — Abdulla,  Bayne,  Alabama  and 
Fair  lie. 

For  the  Poona  Uorse— Arthur  the  Great,  Thames  City 
and  Clifton. 

For  the  Infantry  (besides  the  wsiTships— Result  and 
Maria  Grey. 

For  Stores — Futtay  Salam  and  Philo. 

CoWievs— Bride  of  the  Seas,  British  Flag,  Somnauth, 
Defiance  and  Rhoderick  Dhu. 

The  expedition  sailed  from  Bombay  during  the 
second  week  in  November,  1855,  the  way  being  led  by 
the  Punjaub  which  left  on  the  8th. 

On  24th  November  the  whole  force  rendezvoused  off 
Bunder  Abbas.  By  the  6th  December  the  ships, 
which  left  Bunder  Abbas  in  three  divisions,  had  all 
arrived  in  Hallilah  Bay,  where  the  troops  were  landed 
under  the  fire  of  eight  24 -pounder  howitzer  gun -boats, 
which  drove  off  a  column  of  the  enemy,  who  were 
evidently  meant  to  dispute  the  landing.  On  Sunday, 
9th  December,  the  troops,  aided  by  the  fire  of  the  ships, 
stormed  the  Fort  of  Reshire,  4|  miles  below  Bushire. 

The    following    quotations    from    the    despatch    of 
Commander  Felix  Jones,   the  Political  Agent,   to  the 


218  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Government  of  Bombay,  give  a  graphic  account  of  the 
storming  of  Reshire  and  capture  of  Bushire. 

After  relating  the  difficulties  of  landing  the  Cavalry 
horses  and  Artillery  equipage  owing  to  the  lack  of 
native  boats,  he  goes  on  to  say : — 

Forty-eight  hours  sufficed  to  put  the  troops  in  motion  northward, 
the  ships  of  war,  led  by  the  Admiral,  advancing  along  the  coast  to  their 
support.  This  was  on  the  morning  of  the  9th,  and  by  noon  the  enemy 
were  observed  to  be  in  force  in  the  village  of  Reshire.  Here,  amidst 
the  ruins  of  old  houses,  garden  walls,  and  steep  ravines,  they  occupied 
a  formidable  position;  but,  notwithstanding  their  firmness,  wall  after 
wall  was  surmounted,  and  finally  they  were  driven  from  their  last 
defence  (the  old  fort  of  Reshire)  bordering  on  the  cliffs  at  the  margin 
of  the  sea.  This  was  carried  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  the  enemy 
then  only  flying  in  despair  down  the  cliffs,  where  many  met  their  death. 
.  .  .  Brigadier  Stopford,  C.B.,  met  his  death  here,  and  other  loss  was 
experienced.  The  wounded  were  received  into  the  ships  the  same 
evening,  and  provisions  were  thrown  into  the  fort  from  seaward  during 
the  night. 

An  attempt  was  now  made  to  parley  with  Bushire, 
but  Commander  Jones  with  the  flag  of  truce  was  fired 
on  and  had  to  retire,  and  he  goes  on — 

While  this  was  going  on,  a  note  from  the  Major-General  (Stalker) 
commanding  announced  his  intention  of  advancing  on  the  town  thd 
following  morning,  and  the  Admiral  disposed  his  fleet  in  order  of  battle, 
first  dismantling  the  newly  erected  outworks,  and  then  moving  with  a 
view  of  breaching  the  south  wall  of  the  town. 

The  following  morning,  as  the  tide  served,  the  ships  were  in  the 
positions  assigned  to  them.  A  second  flag  of  truce  had  come  off. 
begging  24  hours'  delay,  but  this  was  promptly  rejected,  and  at  near 
8  o'clock  the  signal  was  hoisted  to  engage.  Shot  and  shell  were  aimed 
at  the  redoubt  south  of  the  town,  but  with  little  effect  owing  to  the 
great  range,  though  eventually  tlie  enemy  assembled  there  to  oppose 
the  troops  were  dislodged  and  beat  a  retreat  with  their  guns  into  the 
town.  The  ships,  in  the  meantime,  had  moved  upon  the  town,  and 
such  was  the  ardour  displayed  to  get  close  to  the  works,  that  every  ship 
was  laid  aground  at  the  turn  of  high  water,  and  for  four  hours  continued 
to  cannonade  the  defences,  which  were  active  in  replying  the  whole 
time.  Many  of  their  guns,  however,  were  not  of  sufficient  calibre  to 
reach  the  ships,  but  the  perseverance  of  the  Persian  gunners  in  firing  from 
the  more  heavy  pieces  was  admired  by  every  one. 


THE  PUNJAUB  219 

Their  shot  told  very  often  on  the  hulls  of  the  Victoria,  Falkland. 
Semiramis  and  Ferooz,  which  latter  vessels  under  Captain  John  Young 
and  Commander  James  Rennie  had  the  posts  of  honour  for  the  day. 
Details  of  the  affair  it  is  unnecessary  for  me  to  enter  upon.  It  will 
suffice  for  me  to  report  that,  some  of  the  guns  being  silenced,  on  the 
approach  of  the  army,  under  Major-General  Stalker,  C.B.,  to  breach  the 
wall  on  the  gate  side  before  the  assault  the  Persian  flagstaff  was  felled 
in  token  of  submission. 

The  British  colours  were  hoisted  at  the  Residency 
flagstaff  in  the  town  at  4.30  p.m.,  with  a  salute  of  21 
guns  from  the  fleet,  the  ships  being  dressed. 

The  Governor  of  Bushire  and  his  staff  were  sent  on 
board  the  Punjaub,  which  with  the  Assaye  sailed  for 
Bombay  three  days  after  the  capture  of  the  town, 
Admiral  Sir  Henry  Leeke  and  staff,  the  three  principal 
prisoners  and  the  captured  Persian  flag  being  on  the 
Assaye. 

Whilst  running  through  the  Bassadore  Gulf  the 
Assaye  was  boarded  by  a  friendly  Arab  chief,  who 
told  the  Admiral  of  a  Persian  division,  3000  strong, 
assembled  at  Lingah,  with  the  purpose  of  capturing 
the  depot  station  on  the  Island  of  Kishm. 

When  the  ships  drew  abreast  of  the  Persian  camp  it 
was  bombarded  by  their  68-pounders;  the  Persians 
thereupon  drew  off  out  of  range. 

The  Admiral  thereupon  left  the  Punjaub  and  a  force 
of  Marines  to  protect  the  island,  and  took  the  prisoners 
on  the  Assaye  to  Bombay. 

This  diversion  deprived  the  Punjaub  of  any  partici- 
pation in  the  gallant  little  action  of  Mohamra  on  the 
Shatt-ul-Arab,  where  the  Assaye  so  distinguished  herself. 
This  took  place  on  the  2eth  March,  1856,  the  Punjaub 
arrived  at  Bombay  on  9th  March  and  left  for  the  Gulf  on 
the  20th,  too  late  to  take  part  in  this  operation,  which 
was  a  hot  one. 


2'M  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

The  casualties  on  the  bombarding  ships  would  have 
been  very  much  heavier  but  for  an  idea  of  Commander 
Rennie's,  that  of  placing  trusses  of  pressed  hay  round 
the  bulwarks  of  the  ships  to  stop  the  Persian  musket 
balls.  Vast  numbers  of  bullets  were  shaken  out  of 
these  trusses,  and  no  less  than  300  bullets  were  buried  in 
the  sides  of  the  Ferooz. 

All  the  ships,  nsimely—Assaye ,  Ferooz,  Semiramis, 
Clive,  Ajdaha,  Victoria,  and  Falkland,  anchored  within 
100  yards  of  the  Persian  earthworks,  with  the  exception 
of  the  Assaye,  which  owing  to  her  length  had  not 
sufficient  room  to  swing  on  the  ebb,  so  Commander 
Adams  kept  steaming  her  up  to  the  Ferooz,  next  ahead, 
and  then  dropped  back  on  the  tide  to  the  next  astern, 
all  the  time  engaging  the  Persian  batteries  at  pistol 
shot  range. 

The  Victoria  grounded  200  yards  off  Huffer  Creek 
and  being  exposed  to  concentrated  fire  received  18  shots 
in  her  hull,  her  rigging  also  being  much  cut  up. 

The  sailing  sloops  of  war  Clive  and  Falkland  drew  the 
admiration  of  all  eyes  as  they  took  up  their  stations 
under  all  sail.  Simultaneously  they  hauled  down  and 
clewed  up  every  sail,  dropped  their  anchors  and  fired 
their  broadsides  into  the  opposing  batteries. 

At  10  a.m.  the  magazine  in  the  north  fort  blew  up 
amidst  deafening  cheers  from  each  ship ;  this  was 
followed  by  three  other  explosions  and  the  Persian  fire 
began  to  slacken.  By  1  o'clock  the  chief  works  were 
silent,  and  the  steam  transports,  headed  by  the  Berenice 
with  General  Havelock  and  the  78th  Highlanders  on 
board,  moved  up  and  began  to  land  the  troops.  But 
the  honours  of  the  day  were  entirely  with  the  seamen, 
the  Union  Jack  being  hoisted  on  the  northern  fort  by 
the  First  Lieutenant  of  the  Assaye,  whilst  seamen  from 


THE  PUNJAUB  221 

the  S  emir  amis,  Victoria,  Clive  and  Falkland  stormed 
the  southern  forts  after  they  had  been  silenced. 

The  Persian  army  of  13,000  men  and  30  guns  broke  up 
and  dispersed  as  soon  as  they  saw  the  troops  advancing 
through  the  date  groves.  The  leader  Agha  Than  Khan 
and  300  men  were  killed;  but  the  state  of  the  Persian 
camp  was  nothing  to  that  of  the  Persian  forts  which  were 
filled  with  dead  and  wounded.  The  British  loss  was 
only  10  killed  and  30  wounded.  As  General  Havelock 
wrote : — "  The  gentlemen  in  blue  had  it  all  to  themselves, 
and  left  us  naught  to  do.  " 

"Mohamra"  was  one  of  those  gallant  little  affairs 
which  have  hardly  been  noticed  by  our  military  or 
naval  historians. 

The  retreating  Persian  army  was  pursued  by  a  com- 
posite force  of  seamen  and  Highlanders  in  small  gun- 
boats and  the  ships'  cutters  as  far  as  Ahwaz,  where  large 
stores  of  provisions,  arms  and  transport  animals  were 
captured.  This  force  returned  to  Mohamra  on  the 
4th  April  to  learn  that  peace  had  been  made  with 
Persia. 

Lord  Canning  in  a  General  Order  thus  expressed  his 
appreciation  of  the  little  campaign: — 

The  surrender  of  Bushire  on  the  10th  December,  after  a  brief  and 
ineffectual  opposition  ;  the  operations  against  the  Persian  entrenched 
camp  at  Borazgoon:  and  the  complete  victory  obtained  over  the  Persian 
army  at  Khooshab  on  the  8tli  February,  the  bombardment  and 
capture  of  Mohamra  on  the  26th  March,  and  the  brilliant  attack  by  a 
few  hundred  men  against  Ahwaz  on  the  1st  April,  followed  by  the 
precipitate  flight  of  the  whole  Persian  army  servins;  in  that  quarter 
have  signally  instanced  the  vigour,  the  enterprising  spirit  and  the 
intrepidity  with  which  the  operations  against  Persia,  both  by  sea 
and  land,  have  been  directed,  and  have  earned  for  those  who  had  a 
share  in  their  execution  the  cordial  approbation  and  the  thanks  of  the 
Government  of  India. 


222  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

♦♦Punjaub  "  in  the  Indian  Mutiny. 

The  war  with  Persia  ended  just  in  time  to  allow 
the  ships  and  troops  to  get  back  to  Bombay  and  take 
their  part  in  the  terrible  struggle  caused  by  the  Indian 
Mutiny. 

If  the  Assaye  had  been  more  in  the  limelight  than 
her  sister  ship  during  the  Persian  operations,  the 
Punjaub  and  her  commander  and  crew  came  brilliantly 
to  the  front  during  the  Indian  Mutiny.  The  Punjaub 
arrived  at  Bombay  from  the  Persian  Gulf  on  the 
22nd  May,  1857,  and  was  at  once  ordered  with 
all  speed  to  Calcutta  in  the  wake  of  the  Assaye  and 
transports  which  had  the  64th  and  78th  Regiments  on 
board. 

The  Assaye  left  Bombay  on  the  23rd  and  the  Punjaub 
on  the  25th  May.  They  arrived  in  the  Hooghly  to  find 
Calcutta  in  a  state  of  panic,  which  their  21 -gun  salute 
of  the  Viceroy  did  somewhat  to  allay;  and  we  are  told 
that  no  complaints  about  broken  windows  due  to  the 
salute  were  made,  as  was  usually  the  case. 

This  was  on  the  4th  June,  and  the  Assaye  was  turned 
short  round  and  left  for  Bombay  with  treasure  belonging 
to  the  Government  that  very  night,  so  great  was  the  fear 
of  a  rising. 

The  panic  and  excitement  in  Calcutta  came  to  a  head 
on  the  14th  June,  1857,  called  afterwards  "Panic 
Sunday."  A  report  had  spread  that  the  Sepoys  at 
Barrackpore  had  risen  in  the  night  and  were  marching 
on  Calcutta,  also  that  the  King  of  Oude's  forces  at 
Garden  Reach  were  to  join  them  in  a  loot  and  massacre 
of  the  city. 

From  an  early  hour  the  streets  were  filled  with  the 
laden  tongas  and  carts  of  fleeing  citizens — all  rushing 
for  refuge  to  the  fort  and  ships. 


THE  PUNJAUB  223 

Sir  John  Kaye  in  his  Sepotj  War  thus  describes  the 
panic: — 

Within  great  long  boxes  on  wheels,  known  as  palanquin  carriages, 
might  be  seen  the  scared  faces  of  Eurasians  and  Portuguese,  men, 
women,  and  children  ;  and  without  piled  up  on  the  roofs,  great  bundles 
of  bedding  and  wearing  apparel,  snatched  up  and  thrown  together  in 
the  agonised  hurry  of  departure.  Rare  among  these  were  the  carriages 
of  a  better  class,  in  which  the  pale  cheeks  of  the  inmates  told  of  their 
pure  European  descent.  Along  the  Mall  on  the  water-side  or  across  the 
broad  plain  between  the  city  and  the  fort  the  great  stream  poured  itself. 

The  fugitives  poured  in  at  the  gates  of  the  fort,  and  at 
the  ghauts  shrieked  for  rowing  boats  to  take  them  off 
to  the  ships  in  the  river. 

Whilst  Commander  Foulerton,  who  was  then  Senior 
Naval  Officer  at  Calcutta,  was  at  church,  he  received  a 
note  ordering  him  to  wait  immediately  on  Lord  Canning. 

On  proceeding  to  Government  House  he  found  an 
Emergency  Council  sitting,  consisting  of  the  Governor- 
General,  the  Foreign  Secretary  (George  Edmonstone) ; 
Major-General  Richard  Birch,  the  Military  Secretary ; 
Colonel  Powell,  Commanding  the  Troops  ;  Colonel 
Cavenagh,  Town -Major ;  and  Major  Herbert,  com- 
manding the  Calcutta  Militia. 

Commander  Foulerton  was  then  let  into  the  secret. 
He  was  ordered  to  take  his  ship  down  to  Garden  Reach 
and  anchor  off  the  King  of  Oude's  palace  at  daybreak, 
when  he  was  to  land  and  assist  the  land  party  in  seizing 
the  King  and  preventing  anyone  from  leaving  the  palace. 

He  replied  that  he  was  not  able  to  move  the  Punjaub 
as  her  floats  were  off  and  she  could  not  be  fitted  in  time, 
but  that  he  would  take  the  Semiramis  and  all  the 
Punjaub^ s  company  in  her  boats.  This  Lord  Canning 
agreed  to  and  Commander  Foulerton  was  dismissed  to 
make  his  arrangements,  with  instructions  to  report  by 
9  o'clock  that  evening. 


224  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Commander  Foulerton  first  of  all  procured  a  reliable 
pilot,  whom  he  took  with  him  aboard  the  Semiramis. 
The  pilot  at  first  made  objections  to  taking  the  Semiramis 
down  without  orders  from  the  port  authorities,  but 
Commander  Foulerton  would  stand  no  nonsense  and 
gave  in  sailor-like  language  the  various  things  which 
would  happen  to  him  if  he  remained  obstinate,  and 
thereupon  he  gave  in, 

Lieut.  Stradling  commanding  the  Semiramis  was 
next  warned  to  be  ready  to  sail  at  daylight  and  to  stop 
all  communication  with  the  shore.  Finally  the  First 
Lieutenant  of  the  Pmijaub  received  instructions  to  have 
all  boats  manned  and  armed  ready  to  be  taken  in  tow  by 
the  Semiramis. 

A  little  before  daylight  the  Semiramis  with  the 
Punjaub's  boats  in  tow  got  underweigh  and  presently 
anchored  off  the  King  of  Oudc's  palace  at  Garden  Reach. 
Leaving  the  boats  of  the  Semiramis  to  guard  the 
landing.  Commander  Foulerton  with  the  Punjaub's 
crew  disembarked  and  closed  in  on  the  palace.  Here 
he  was  presently  joined  by  Colonel  Powell  and  the 
53rd  Regiment,  some  Artillery  and  the  Governor's 
bodyguard. 

The  huge  compound  and  enclosure  of  the  palace 
was  now  completely  surrounded — 1500  armed  men  were 
said  to  be  within,  but  the  surprise  was  complete.  It 
was  left  to  Mr.  Edmonstonc,  Commander  Foulerton, 
and  Colonel  Powell  to  tackle  the  wretched  King  himself. 
They  found  him  reduced  to  a  state  of  semi -imbecility 
by  fright  and  past  excesses.  He  was  sitting  on  his  bed 
surrounded  by  some  of  his  wives  and  attendants. 
Mr.  Edmonstone  told  him  to  get  ready  to  go  aboard  the 
steamer.  At  this  there  was  a  general  howl  from  the 
wives  and  the  King  began  to  cry  and  stutter  out  all  sorts 


THE   PUNJAUB  225 

of  excuses  and  protestations,  and  seemed  prepared  for 
any  obstinacy. 

But  his  behaviour  was  more  than  the  sailor  could 
stand,  and  he  told  Mr.  Edmonstone  that  he  would  soon 
settle  the  matter,  if  he  would  allow  him,  by  hoiating  the 
King  of  Oude  aboard  the  Semiramis  by  a  whip  on  the 
mainyard. 

But  the  Foreign  Secretary,  who  had  been  used  to 
dealing  with  Indian  princes  with  much  etiquette  and 
ceremony,  would  not  stand  for  this  proposal,  and  a 
carriage  was  sent  for  from  Government  House,  though 
Commander  Foulerton  was  allowed  to  take  the  King's 
rascally  Minister,  AH  Nuckee  Khan,  and  several  other 
Court  dignitaries  on  board  the  Semiramis,  to  be  landed 
at  the  fort. 

This  was  the  first  important  part  played  by  the 
Punjaufs  crew  during  the  Indian  Mutiny,  and  it  was 
by  no  means  the  last. 

For  the  next  few  days  panic  still  reigned  at  Calcutta. 
Both  civilians  and  soldiers  slept  with  swords  handy  and 
revolvers  under  their  pillows. 

Most  of  the  mem-sahibs  slept  aboard  the  ships. 
Commander  Foulerton  very  often  slept  ashore,  but  one 
night  he  happened  to  come  aboard  his  ship  and  to  his 
surprise  found  a  lady  occupying  his  bed. 

The  first  naval  detachments  for  active  service  were 
landed  from  the  ships  in  June  and  July,  1857,  and  were 
soon  scattered  over  Bengal  doing  most  yeoman  service. 
The  chief  detachment  from  the  Punjaub  was  known  as 
Number  4.  It  was  commanded  by  Lieut.  T.  E.  Lewis, 
the  First  Lieutenant  of  the  Punjaub,  with  the  following 
officers  under  him,  Acting-Master  Connor,  Midshipmen 
W.  Cuthell  and  A.  Mayo,  and  Mr.  Brown,  the  ship's 
boatswain.       It  was  composed  of  85  picked  seamen, 


226  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

who  had  been  trained  to  the  highest  efficiency  by  Lieut. 
Lewis,  an  officer  "remarkable  for  military  attainments.  " 
The  detachment  was  armed  with  two  12 -pounder 
howitzers;    and  the  men  carried  Enfield  rifles. 

The  Punjaub's  detachment  was  the  first  to  distinguish 
itself  in  the  field .  They  saved  Dacca  from  the  mutineers 
on  22nd  November,  1857.  It  was  a  hot  action  in  which 
a  few  sailors  had  to  face  many  times  their  own  number 
of  Sepoys  and  their  sympathisers.  Space  will  not 
admit  of  a  full  account  of  this  gallant  affair,  but  the 
following  is  Lieut.  Lewis's  despatch:  — 

The  Treasury,  Executive  Engineers  and  Commissariat  Guards  were 
disarmed  without  resistance.  We  then  inarched  down  to  the  Lall 
Bagh  :  on  entering  the  hnes  the  Sepoys  were  found  drawn  up  by  their 
magazine,  with  two  9-pounders  in  the  centre.  Their  hospital  and 
numerous  buildings  in  the  Lall  Bagh,  together  with  the  barracks, 
which  are  on  top  of  a  hill,  and  are  built  of  brick  and  loopholed,  were 
also  occupied  by  them  in  great  force.  Immediately  we  deployed  into 
line,  they  opened  fire  on  us  from  front  and  left  flank  with  canister  and 
musketry.  We  gave  them  one  volley,  and  then  charged  with  the 
bayonet  up  the  hill,  and  carried  the  whole  of  the  barracks  on  the  top  of 
it,  breaking  the  doors  with  our  musket  butts  and  bayoneting  the  Sepoys 
inside.  As  soon  as  this  was  done  we  charged  down  the  hill,  and,  taking 
them  in  flank,  carried  both  their  guns  and  all  the  buildings,  driving 
them  into  the  jungle. 

While  we  were  thus  employed  with  the  small-arm  men,  the 
two  mountain  train  howitzers,  advancing  to  within  750  yards,  took  up 
a  position  to  the  right,  bearing  on  the  enemy's  guns  in  rear  of  their 
magazine,  and  unlimbering,  kept  up  a  steady  and  well-directed  fire. 
Everyone,  both  officers  and  men,  behaved  most  gallantly,  charging 
repeatedly,  in  face  of  a  most  heavy  fire,  without  the  slightest  hesitation 
for  a  moment.  I  beg  particularly  to  bring  to  notice  the  conduct  of 
Mr.  Midshipman  Mayo,  who  led  the  last  charge  on  their  guns  most 
gallantly,  being  nearly  20  yards  in  front  of  the  men. 

I  regret  to  say  our  loss  has  been  severe,  but  not  more,  I  think,  than 
could  have  been  expected  from  the  strength  of  the  position  and  the 
obstinacy  of  the  defence.  Forty-one  Sepoys  were  counted  by  Mr. 
Boatswain  Brown  dead  on  the  ground  and  8  have  been  since  brought  in 
desperately  wounded.  Three  also  were  drowned  or  shot  in  attempting 
to  escape  across  the  river.      I  enclose  a  Ust  of  IdUed  »ud  WQunded.     Dx 


THE    PUNJAUB  227 

t5cst  being  ill.  Dr.  Green,  Civil  Surgeon,  accompanied  the  detach- 
ment into  action  and  was  severely  wounded.  I  was  ably  seconded  by 
Mr.  Connor,  my  second  in  command.  Lieutenant  Dowell,  Bengal 
Artillery,  volunteered  and  took  command  of  one  of  our  howitzers 
which  he  fought  most  skilfully  to  the  end  of  the  action.  We  were  also 
accompanied  by  Messrs.  Carnac,  C.  S.  Macpherson  and  Bainbridge, 
and  Lieutenant  Hitchins,  Bengal  Native  Infantry,  who  rendered  great 
assistance  with  their  rifles,  and  to  whom  my  thanks  are  due. 

The  gallant  middy  Arthur  Mayo  was  awarded  the 
Victoria  Cross,  and  Lieut.  Lewis  and  his  detachment 
were  praised  in  every  direction  from  Lord  Canning 
downwards. 

From  Dacca  the  detachment  was  sent  up  to  Sylhet  in 
Assam,  Acting-Master  Connor  being  left  behind  at 
Dacca  with  a  small  party,  chiefly  of  time-expired  men, 
the  original  force  under  Lieut.  Lewis  being  made  up  to 
100  men  by  reinforcements.  The  detachment  remained 
at  Sylhet  from  2nd  October,  1857,  to  January,  1859, 
when  Lieut.  Lewis  and  his  men  were  sent  to  Dibrooghur 
and  in  November,  1859,  an  expedition  was  sent  out 
against  the  Abor  hillmen. 

This  was  very  hard  service  in  a  fever  and  jungle 
country,  the  hillmen  defending  themselves  from  stock- 
ades, which  had  to  be  taken  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet. 

After  five  hours  of  continuous  fighting,  during  which 
the  force  was  opposed  by  flights  of  poisoned  arrows, 
the  final  village  was  captured.  During  the  assault  on 
the  last  stockage,  the  eighth,  Lieut.  Davies  was  severely 
w^ounded  in  left  breast  and  arm,  and  Mayo  in  the  hand 
by  poisoned  arrows.  An  arrow  also  lodged  in  the  cap 
pocket  of  Lieut.  Lewis  but  failed  to  penetrate  the  leather. 
"  Luckily  the  cap  pouch  was  one  of  the  Punjaub  's  Bombay 
one's, "  writes  Lieut.  Lewis,  "the  leather  of  which  is 
like  a  board. " 

Four  seamen   were  killed   and  21   wounded   by   the 


228  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

poisoned  arrows,  but  Lieut.  Lewis  saved  many  lives  by 
sucking  the  wounds.  (The  poison  was  made  from  a 
vegetable  gum  obtained  from  cutting  into  the  bark  of  a 
certain  tree,  and  this  was  mixed  with  tobacco  into  a 
paste .      Its  effect  was  most  dead  ly . ) 

Besides  using  these  poisoned  arrows,  the  Abors 
defended  themselves  by  planting  "punjies"  or  small 
poisoned  stakes  on  the  jungle  paths;  and  they  also 
rolled  down  stones  and  rocks,  the  hills  being  extremely 
precipitous. 

Again  the  Punjaub's  detachment  received  the  thanks 
of  the  Governor-General  in  Council.  It  was  their  last 
fight.  Worn  out  by  fever,  hard  service  and  wounds, 
the  original  members  had  nearly  all  to  be  invalided. 
Lewis  and  Mayo,  both  in  shattered  health,  were  com- 
pelled to  leave  India;  and  Lewis,  who  never  received 
any  reward  for  his  gallant  services,  died  shortly  after- 
wards in  England. 

Whilst  the  pick  of  his  officers  and  men  were  fighting 
ashore  Commander  Foulerton  was  busy  at  sea  racing 
here  and  there  with  troops. 

The  Punjaub  was  back  in  Bombay  on  21st  September, 
1857,  left  for  Kurrachee  on  8th  October,  returned  to 
Bombay  on  the  18th  and  left  for  Vingorla  on  11th 
November,  after  which  she  was  kept  continually  on  the 
move  trooping. 

During  June  of  1860  we  find  her  taking  the  Muscat - 
Zanzibar  Commission  to  Muscat  and  the  Kooria-Mooria 
Group.  Off  Ras-ul-Had  the  Punjaub  fell  in  with  the 
Omanee  Squadron  of  seven  ships  of  war  full  of  armed 
men;  these  were  bound  on  a  punitive  expedition 
undertaken  by  the  Wali  of  Muscat  against  his  brother, 
the  Wali  of  Zanzibar.  This  expedition  was  turned  back 
to  Muscat  by  the  Political  Agent,  Major  Russell  (after- 


THE  TWEEh  229 

wards  Sir  E.  L.  Russell,  K. C.S.I.)  who  was  on  board 
the  Punjaub. 

In  1862  it  was  decided  to  convert  the  Punjaub  and 
Assaye  into  screw  steamers,  and  they  were  ordered  to 
England,  the  Punjaub  sailing  on  the  8th  February  and 
the  Assaye  on  the  31st  March. 

By  this  date  the  old  Indian  Navy  had  become  merged 
into  the  Royal  Navy;  and  on  the  arrival  of  the  two 
famous  frigates  in  the  Thames  they  were  sold. 

Laying    the    Indo-European     Cable    in    the 
Persian  Gulf. 

Old  John  Willis,  with  his  wonderful  eye  for  a 
ship,  bought  both  frigates  and  converted  them  into 
sailing  ships.  He  sold  the  Assaye  soon  after  he  had 
bought  her  at  a  large  profit;  but  he  held  on  to  the 
Punjaub,  which  he  rechristcned  The  Tiveed,  in  honour 
of  the  beautiful  river  on  which  he  was  born.  He  also 
gave  her  a  fine  new  figurehead,  representing  Tam  o' 
Shanter,  the  hero  of  his  favourite  poem. 

In  the  autumn  of  1863  the  two  ea;-men-of-war  once 
more  returned  to  their  old  haunts.  Together  with  the 
Cospatrick  they  were  taken  up  by  the  Government  and 
sent  out  to  Bombay  with  the  Persian  Gulf  Telegraph 
cable  on  board,  and  between  January  and  May,  1864, 
were  employed  in  laying  the  sections  between  Cape 
Mussendom  and  Bush  ire,  and  between  Bushire  and  Fao 
on  the  Shatt-ul-Arab. 

Captain  Stuart  of  "  The  Tweed." 

Old  John  Willis  was  so  pleased  with  his  new 
purchase,  The  Tweed,  that  he  took  his  favourite  captain, 
W.  Stuart,  from  the  Lammermuir  and  placed  him  in 
command  of  the  splendid  old  frigate. 


230  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

The  Tweed  and  Captain  Stuart,  her  commander,  at 
once  began  to  make  that  name  for  themselves  which 
has  caused  them  to  be  the  subject  of  veneration 
wherever  old  seamen  congregate. 

I  have  given  a  short  account  of  Captain  Stuart  in  my 
China  Clippers,  but  I  may  perhaps  be  permitted  to 
supplement  this  by  a  few  more  details. 

Stuart  came  of  Viking  stock,  the  name  Stuart  being 
originally  Skigvard — just  as  the  name  Shewan,  of  a 
fellow  townsman  and  sea  captain  whom  he  succeeded  in 
the  Lammermuir ,  was  originally  Sigvan  or  Shigvan. 
Both  captains  were  certainly  Vikings  in  looks  as  well 
as  in  certain  characteristics  of  temperament. 

Stuart's  father  was  a  prosperous  leather  merchant 
in  Peterhead .  The  boy  was  sent  to  sea  at  an  early  age 
as  an  apprentice  in  the  clipper  barque  Lochnagar, 
trading  to  Launceston.  Having  served  his  time,  he 
became  mate  and  then  master  of  the  clipper  schooner 
Vivid,  running  between  Peterhead  and  London.  Then  he 
obtained  command  of  a  small  barque  in  the  Cape  trade, 
and  after  two  voyages  was  promoted  to  a  larger  ship. 

He  entered  Willis'  employ  as  successor  to  Captain 
Andrew  Shewan  in  the  command  of  the  Lammermuir. 
Captain  Stuart  commanded  The  Tweed  from  1863  to 
1877,  during  which  time  he  never  lost  a  man  or  a  spar, 
and  made  quite  a  fortune  for  John  Willis. 

Some  Sailing  Records  of  "The  Tweed.'* 

On  her  first  passage  under  Willis'  house-flag, 
The  Tweed  went  out  to  Bombay  with  the  Indo-European 
cable  on  board  in  77  days. 

On  her  return  to  Bombay  from  the  Persian  Gulf,  she 
was  completely  refitted  as  a  first-class  passenger  ship,  for 
which  with  a  poop  66  feet  long  she  was  very  suitable. 


CAPTAIN  WILLIAM  STUART,  OF  "  THE  TWEED. 


"  THE  TWEED,"    UNDER  ALL  PLAIN  SAIL. 
Frojn  a  Painting.  [To  face  Page  230. 


THE   TWEED  231 

After  her  refit  she  went  to  Vingorla,  and,  taking  the 
Seaforth  Highlanders  on  board,  brought  them  home 
round  the  Cape  in  78  days. 

Ventilation  was  not  understood  on  the  early  steamers 
as  it  is  now,  and  as  a  consequence  the  passage  home 
from  India  via  Red  Sea  and  Suez  Canal  was  proving 
very  fatal  to  troops  worn  out  by  a  long  term  of  service  in 
India.  Thus  it  came  about  that  The  Tzveed  was 
taken  up  year  after  year  during  the  sixties  by  the 
Government  in  order  to  bring  home  invalid  troops 
round  the  Cape;  and  in  this  service  she  acquitted 
herself  with  distinction  by  the  quickness  of  her  passages 
and  the  comfort  of  her  accommodation. 

On  her  outward  passages  during  these  years  she 
either  went  to  Sydney  or  Calcutta,  and  often  made  an 
intermediate  passage  up  the  China  Coast.  Being  very 
fast  in  light  winds,  some  of  these  passages  to  China 
were  astonishing.  On  one  occasion  she  beat  the  mail 
steamer  between  Hongkong  and  Singapore,  and  Mr. 
Joseph  Conrad  tells  us  that  naval  officers  used  to  board 
her  in  order  to  examine  her  charts,  take  measurements 
of  her  sail  plan  and  the  placing  of  her  masts.  Later  on 
during  the  Indian  famine  of  the  seventies  she  made 
some  very  smart  runs  between  Rangoon  and  Madras 
with  rice  for  starving  Indians. 

I  give  the  abstract  log  of  her  first  passage  to  Melbourne 
in  the  Appendix.  She  made  the  return  passage, 
Melbourne  to  London,  3rd  February  to  27th  April, 
1874,  in  83  days.  In  June,  1874,  like  many  another 
first-class  ship,  she  was  taken  up  to  carry  emigrants 
to  the  booming  colony  of  New  Zealand.  She  left 
the  Thames  in  the  middle  of  the  month,  and  on 
the  17th  of  June  took  her  departure  from  St.  Catherine's 
Point. 


232  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

8th  July. — Crossed  the  line,  21  days  out. 

On  19th  July  in  34°  S„  28°  46'  W.,  with  a  strong  north  breeze, 
she  ran  324  miles  in  the  24  hours;  and  on  the  24th  in  36°  52'  S.,  12° 
49'  W..  she  made  a  run  of  304  miles. 

29th  July. — Crossed  the  Greenwich  meridian  in  38°  S. 

6th  August. — In  a  strong  to  fresh  N.E.  gale,  she  ran  320  miles  in 
40°41'S.,  33°  26'  E. 

15th  August  in  a  fresh  north  gale,  she  ran  316  miles  in  44°  45'  S., 
90°  20'  E.,  and  on  18th  August  made  302  miles  before  a  fresh  westerly 
gale  in  44°  50'  S.,  97°  E. 

3rd  September. — The  Tweed  arrived  at  Otago,  78  days  out. 

From  New  Zealand  she  went  across  to  Sydney,  and 
leaving  Port  Jackson  on  11th  January,  1875,  made  the 
Lizard  86  days  out. 

In  June,  1875,  The  Tweed  was  loaded  very  deep  with 
general  cargo  and  passengers  for  Sydney,  her  draft 
being  21  feet.  As  she  had  eight  fine  stallions  on  her 
main  deck,  Captain  Stuart  dared  not  drive  as  he  would 
have  liked.  She  left  the  docks  on  12th  June,  and  took 
her  departure  from  the  land  on  the  21st. 

She  crossed  the  line  in  28°  W.,  on  13th  July,  only 
22  days  from  the  land,  and  crossed  the  Cape  meridian 
on  12th  August.  Twice  she  had  to  be  hove  to  Avhilst 
running  her  easting  down  ;  on  the  first  occasion  on 
18th  August,  and  the  second  time  in  a  violent  N.N.E. 
gale  on  4th  September,  when  the  starboard  lifeboat 
was  washed  away. 

She  passed  King's  Island  on  8th  September,  79  days 
out,  but  was  becalmed  off  Montagu  Island  on  the 
following  day  and  arrived  at  Sydney  on  11th  September, 
82  days  out. 

On  her  homeward  passage  from  Sydney  she  left  on 
10th  December,  1875,  and  took  her  pilot  off  Dungeness 
on  17th  February,  1876,  having  made  the  magnificent 
passage  of  69  days. 

In  1876  she  was  87  days  to  Sydney,  after  being  off 


THE    TWEED  233 

the  Otway  80  days  out,  having  only  calms  and  faint  airs 
up  the  coast. 

Her  abstract  log  records  the  following; — 

2nd  May. — 1  p.m.,  Lizard  N.  4  miles. 

23rd  May. — Crossed  the  line,  21  days  out. 

14th  June. — Crossed  Greenwich  meridian.  43  days  otjt. 

7th  July.— In  41"  S.,  78'  E.,  with  wind  north  and  N.W.  Distance 
322  miles. 

8th  July.— In  41'  26'  S.,  85=  27'  E.,  with  wind  north  and  N.W. 
Distance  312  miles. 

21st  July. — Passed  the  Otway. 

28th  July. — Arrived  Sydney,  87  days  out. 

From  Sydney  she  went  to  Hongkong  in  50  days,  and 
home  from  there. 

In  1877  Captain  Stuart  handed  over  The  Tweed  to 
Captain  Byce  in  order  to  take  command  of  the  new 
Clyde  clipper  Loch  Etive. 

Captain  Byce  loaded  for  Sydney  and  landed  his 
pilot  off  St.  Catherine's  at  4  p.m.  on  8th  January,  1878. 

The  line  was  crossed  on  29th  January,  21  days  out, 
and  the  meridian  of  Greenwich  on  23rd  February. 

On  6th  March  in  44°  42'  S.,  64''  24'  E.,  The  Ticeed 
ran  325  miles  in  the  24  hours,  the  wind  being  strong  at 
N.N.E. ;    and  on  the  following  day  she  made  300  miles. 

On  31st  March,  at  7  a.m.,  the  pilot  was  taken  on 
board  and  the  ship  reached  her  anchorage  81  days  out. 
Again  she  crossed  to  Hongkong,  leaving  Sydney  2nd 
June,  and  arriving  Hongkong,  15th  July,  43  days  out. 

In  1880  Captain  J.  M.  Whyte  (late  of  the  Black- 
adder)  took  her  out  to  Sydney. 

12th  May. — Left  London. 

15th  May. — Passed  the  Lizard. 

8th  July.— Crossed  the  line  in  27°  W..  24  days  out. 

24th  June.— Crossed  Greenwich  meridian. 

27th  June.— Crossed  Cape  meridian  in  42°  S. 

9th  July. — Made  a  run  of  362  miles. 


234,  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

21st  July.— Passed  South  Cape,  Tasmania.  67  days  out,  cveraging 
240  miles  a  day  from  Equator  to  South  Cape. 
29th  July. — Arrived  Sydney,  75  days  out 

The  Tweed  left  Sydney  on  1st  October,  and  arrived 
in  London  on  28th  December,  88  days  out. 

In  1881  she  still  remained  in  the  Sydney  trade,  but 
went  across  to  Hongkong  for  her  homeward  cargo. 
Leaving  Hongkong  on  29th  October  she  arrived  home 
on  1st  March,  123  days  out;  a  very  good  passage  for 
post -racing  days. 

In  the  seventies  and  eighties  The  Tweed  Avas  loaded  in 
London  by  Bethell  &  Co.,  who  also  loaded  the  Thomas 
Stephens.  These  two  magnilicent  ships,  which  drew 
admiration  from  all  nautical  eyes  wherever  they  went, 
were  great  rivals. 

Several  times  they  raced  each  other  out  to  Sydney, 
and  home  again  from  India  or  Australia;  and  though 
the  Thomas  Stephens  was  one  of  the  fastest  iron  ships 
afloat  The  Tweed  generally  had  the  best  of  it. 

In  1885  Captain  Moore  left  the  Cutty  Sark  in  order  to 
command  old  Willis'  beloved  flagship.  Moore  was  one 
of  the  old  type,  a  safe,  steady-going,  experienced 
shipmaster,  but  he  was  no  sail  carrier,  and  under  him 
The  Tweed's  days  of  records  came  to  an  end,  and  instead 
of  passages  of  70  to  80  days  the  old  ship  took  90  to  100. 

But  she  continued  to  earn  big  dividends  for  Willis. 
On  one  occasion  in  Sydney  she  lay  opposite  the  old 
"Dead  House"  at  Circular  Quay  for  two  months,  when 
she  loaded  somewhere  about  30,000  bullock  hides  and 
thousands  of  casks  of  tallow,  blocked  off  with  cased  meat. 
These  went  into  the  lower  hold,  whilst  her  'tween  decks, 
which  had  so  often  accommodated  troops,  were  screwed 
tight  with  bale  upon  bale  of  wool. 

The  end  came  in  July,  1888.     This  year  she  had  left 


END   OF   THE   TWEED  235 

Sydney  for  China  and  loaded  a  cargo  for  New  York. 
On  18th  July  when  off  Algoa  Bay  she  was  dismasted. 
The  ss.  Venice  got  a  rope  aboard  her  and  towed  her 
into  Algoa  Bay,  but  the  old  ship  had  received  serious 
injury  and  leaked  so  badly  that  she  was  not  considered 
worth  repairing,  and  was  eventually  broken  up.  Who- 
ever broke  her  up  must  have  made  a  good  thing  of  it, 
for  no  finer  teak-built  ship  had  ever  left  the  shipwrights' 
hands.  Her  frames  and  timbers  may  still  be  seen 
forming  the  roof  of  a  church  in  Port  Elizabeth. 

The  Sunderland -built  Blackvvallers. 

The  rise  of  shipbuilding  on  the  Wear  is  forced 
more  and  more  upon  our  attention  as  we  notice  the 
builders  of  the  later  Blackwall  frigates. 

Duncan  Dunbar  was  one  of  the  earliest  patronisers 
of  the  Sunderland  shipyards.  As  far  back  as  the  early 
forties  we  find  Laing  of  Sunderland  turning  out  nice 
little  800-ton  frigate-built  ships  for  Dunbar— such  ships 
asihe Cressy,  Hyderabad,  Poictiers,  Agincourt,  Trafalgar, 
Blenheim  and  Ramillies;  whilst  in  1853  he  launched 
the  Dunbar  of  over  1300  tons,  the  largest  ship  ever  built 
on  the  Wear  at  that  date. 

The  Greens  started  their  connection  with  Sunderland 
by  ordering  the  Roxburgh  Castle  from  Pile  in  1852, 
whilst  Marshall  built  his  celebrated  Statesman  in  1849. 
These  frigate-built  ships,  though  the  finest  and  largest, 
were  by  no  means  the  most  numerous  of  the  many  ships 
built  on  the  Wear.  A  host  of  small  wooden  ships  were 
turned  out  annually,  whilst  it  was  not  long  before  iron 
ships  were  being  built. 

The  chief  of  the  early  builders  were  Laing,  Pile, 
Marshall,  Doxford,  Haswell  and  Briggs. 

Pile  built  all  Green's  ships  except  the  Lady  Melville, 


236 


THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 


which  was  built  by  Haswell.  Besides  building  all 
Duncan  Dunbar's,  Laing  built  the  Merchantman  for 
Joseph  Somes,  and  the  well-known  Parramatta  for 
Devitt  &  Moore. 

In  1858  110  ships  were  built  on  the  Wear,  totalling 
42,000  tons  and  averaging  380  tons  each:  in  1868  lo8 
ships  were  built,  totalling  70,300  tons  and  averaging 
509  tons  each,  whilst  in  1872  122  ships  were  built 
totalling  181,825  tons  and  averaging  1080  tons.  These 
figures  show  the  development  of  Sunderland  shipbuilding 
very  clearly. 

Pile's  frigate-built  ships  were  very  much  alike  in 
appearance,  and  the  foUowmg  table  of  their  measure- 
ments may  perhaps  be  of  interest:  — 


Date 
Built 

Name  ot  Ship 

Tonnage 

Length 

Breadth 

Depth 

LotiRth 

of  Poop 

J-eet 

LnnKth 

of  Ko'cle 

feet 

1852 

Roxburgh  Castle 

10+9 

182.5 

34.5 

22. J 

1855 

Walmer  Castle 

10()4 

192.8 

3.5 

22.5 

1856 

Alnwick  Castle 

1087 

195 

35.3 

22.5 

68 

m 

1857 

Windsor  Castle 

1074 

195.5 

36.2 

22.5 

67 

Xi 

1858 

Dover  Castle 

1003 

185 

34 

22 

73 

30 

Clarence 

1104 

198 

36.5 

22.5 

44 

1859 

Newcastle 

1137 

196.5 

36.5 

22.5 

1  1 

37 

1860 

Malabar 

1219 

207.2 

36.6 

22.5 

raisod  q" 

ter  deck 

18G2 

The  Lord  Warden 

1237 

210.3 

36.6 

22-6 

72 

40 

With  these  it  may  be  of  advantage  to  compare  Laing 's 
eight  finest  ships. 


Date 
Built 

Name  of  Ship 

Tonnage 
Regd. 

Length 

Breadth 

Depth 

Length 

of  Poop 

Feet 

Length  1 

of  Kof  le 

Feet 

1851 

Vimiera 

925 

165.7 

33.6 

22.9 

57 

29 

1852 

Merchantman 

885 

175 

34 

22 

1853 

Dunbar 

1321 

201.9 

35 

22.7 

82 

1855 

La  Hogue 

i3:u 

226 

35 

22.9 

96 

42 

1857 

Duncan  Dunbar 

1374 

229.2 

36.3 

23 

1863 

Alumbagh 

1138 

190 

36 

23.8 

59 

40 

1864 

Dunbar  Castle     .  . 

925 

182.7 

33.9 

21.5 

60 

31 

1866 

Parramatta 

1521 

231 

38.2 

22.8 

raised  q"  ter  deck 

AGAMEMNON." 


From  a  Il'as/i  Dnnvina. 


A  WEARSIDE  SHIPYARD. 


[To  face  Pwje  236. 


OTHER  FAMOUS  BLACKWALLERS    237 

The  illustrations  will  show  the  difference  in  the 
appearance  of  these  ships.  All  Pile's  ships  show  a 
great  resemblance  to  each  other  and  might  almost  be 
sister  ships;  but  Laing's  ships  were  by  no  means  alike 
and  at  the  same  time  could  not  be  mistaken  for  any  of 
Pile's. 

The  Old  "La  Hogue." 

The  best  known  of  all  these  ships  was  probably 
the  old  La  Hogue.  She  was  specially  built  for  the 
Australian  passenger  trade,  and  for  many  years  was  a 
favourite  ship  to  Sydney.  She  had  splendid  accom- 
modation, and  with  a  poop  96  feet  long,  a  big  midship 
house  and  a  long  topgallant  foc's'le  might  almost  be 
said  to  have  an  extra  deck. 

Her  passages  to  Sydney  were  extraordinarily  regular, 
averaging  about  90  days  outward  and  a  few  more  days 
coming  home.  In  1874  in  the  New  Zealand  boom,  she 
was  diverted  to  Wellington  and  took  out  443  emigrants. 

Her  best  known  commanders  were  Corvasso  and 
Wagstaff,  both  of  whom  were  very  experienced  in  the 
colonial  trade.  La  Hogue  was  also  celebrated  for  her 
immense  figurehead.  She  ended  her  days  as  a  coal 
hulk  at  Madeira,  and  was  broken  up  in  1897. 

The  "Agamemnon." 

In  the  same  year  that  Laing  built  the  La  Hogue, 
Green  built  his  largest  ship  in  the  Blackwall  Yard. 
This  was  the  Agamemnon  of  1431  tons  register,  252,3 
feet  in  length,  36.2  feet  length  and  23.2  feet  depth.  She 
had  a  poop  85  feet  long  and  a  topgallant  foc's'le  of  50 
feet.  There  were  two  "Aggie's,"  the  smaller  one  of 
973  tons  being  built  at  Sunderland  and  owned  by 
Potts  Bros, 


238  '   THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Green's  Agamemnon  ran  to  India  until  1870,  when 
she  was  put  into  the  Australian  passenger  trade:  and 
about  ten  years  later  she  also  became  a  coal  hulk. 

The  Burning  of  the  "Eastern  Monarch." 

The  Eastern  Monarch  was  a  trooper.  She 
caught  fire  on  her  arrival  at  Spithead  in  1859  with 
troops  on  board.  The  ship  was  destroyed,  but  everyone 
was  saved  except  a  few  invalids,  who  could  not 
be  got  at. 

♦'  Alnwick  Castle,"  "  Clarence  "  and  "  Dover 
Castle." 
It  is  difficult  to  say  which  was  the  fastest  of 
Green's  Sunderland  built  ships;     probably  there  was 
very  little  difference  between  them. 

The  Alnwick  Castle  held  the  record  from  the  Channel 
to  the  Sandheads,  which  she  twice  did  in  68  days. 
During  the  early  sixties,  when  she  was  commanded  by 
Robert  Taylor,  she  usually  left  Calcutta  with  coolies 
for  Georgetown  and  Port  of  Spain,  and  made  the  run 
in  well  under  80  days.  On  6th  January,  1862,  when 
within  two  days  sail  of  the  Bocas,  with  a  strong  N.E. 
trade,  she  ran  302  miles  in  the  24  hours.  This  ship 
was  sold  by  Green  in  1873,  to  a  Mr.  Bagshot,  later  a 
man  named  Swyny  owned  her,  and  finally  Sir  John 
Arnot,  of  Cork,  ran  her  until  1881,  when  she  was 
wrecked  on  the  Mexican  Coast  while  bound  to 
Manzanillas  from  Rotterdam. 

The  Clarence,  which  was  also  sold  in  1873,  possessed 
the  peculiarity  of  sailing  best  by  the  head.  She  is 
credited  with  a  run  of  372  miles  in  24  hours,  when 
bringing  the  69th  Regiment  home  from  India  in  1864. 

Her  sail  plan,  which  I  give  in  the  Appendix,  was  a 


OTHER  FAMOUS   BLACKWALLERS        239 

big  one,  and  the  following  measurements  of  the  Nile's 
mainmast  will  show  the  increase  of  length  of  spars 
in  ten  years  : — 

Truck     to     crosstrees  ..  51  ft. 

Crosstrtto  jj  maintop  . .  43  ft.  I  ins. 

Maintop    to    nettings  ..  47  ft.  6  ins. 

Nettings      to     copper  ..  16  ft.  2  ins. 

The  Clarence's  records  would,  no  doubt,  have  been 
still  better  if  she  had  not  been  commanded  by  Daddy 
Vaile,  who  was  one  of  the  old-fashioned  type  and  no 
carrier  of  sail. 

The  Dover  Castle,  under  Captain  J.  H.  Ayles,  once 
came  home  in  under  80  days  from  Hobson's  Bay,  but 
I  know  of  no  unusual  sailing  in  her  records.  She  was 
sold  to  Shaw  Savill,  and  sold  again  to  C.  F.  Boe,  of 
Arendal,  and  renamed  Kem  ;  after  living  to  a  good  old 
age  she  was  finally  broken  up. 

Blackwallers  in  the  Coolie  Trade. 

During  the  sixties,  when  the  West  Indies  were 
importing  coolie  labour  for  their  plantations,  many  of 
the  fastest  of  the  Blackwall  frigates  were  employed 
in  carrying  coolies  from  Calcutta  to  Georgetown, 
Demerara,  and  Port  of  Spain,  Trinidad.  The  chief  of 
these  ships  ^tve  the  Alnwick  Castle,  Clarence,  Newcastle, 
and  Tyhurnia. 

In  1860,  the  Alnwick  Castle  took  225  men,  102 
women,  26  boys,  20  girls  and  10  infants,  from  Calcutta 
to  Georgetown  in  83  days ;  31  coolies,  an  unusual 
proportion,  dying  on  the  passage. 

In  1861,  Almvick  Castle  took  340  men,  89  women, 
81  boys,  11  girls  and  7  infants  to  Trinidad  in  71  days. 
She  received  a  freight  of  £12  18s.  Od.  per  adult,  the 
478   souls    being    equal    to  450   adults.      The    passage 


240  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

money  thus  amounted  to  £5805.  Besides  the  coolies, 
she  loaded  4350  bags  or  450  tons  of  Ballam  rice,  and 
4050  bags  or  297  tons  of  Moonghy  rice  at  £2  7s.  Od.  per 
ton.  She  made  sail  from  the  Sandheads  on  31st 
October,  rounded  the  Cape  on  10th  December, 
anchored  at  St.  Helena  on  19th  December,  and 
anchored  at  Port  of  Spain  on  10th  January,  18G2. 

The  Clarence  left  Calcutta  on  20th  December,  with 
450  coolies,  of  which  6  died  on  the  passage,  and 
arrived  Trinidad  on  5th  March,  1SG2,  75  days  out. 
There  were  some  fast  ships  in  competition  with 
Green's,  such  as  the  well-known  early  iron  ship 
Accrington  and  the  beautiful  Tyburnia,  but  the  Alnwick 
Castle  and  Clarence  were  hard  to  beat.  In  1865,  the 
Clarence  made  the  best  passage  out  of  a  number  of 
ships,  including  the  Neivcastle,  being  46  days  to  St. 
Helena  from  Calcutta,  arriving  there  11th  January, 
1865  ;  but  she  had  an  unusual  number  of  deaths,  40 
out  of  469. 

I  find,  as  a  rule,  that  these  early  coolie  ships  did  not 
lose  more  than  six  to  a  dozen  on  the  passage,  and  a 
large  proportion  of  these  were  usually  infants. 

"  Newcastle." 

The  Newcastle  was  not  a  fast  ship,  yet  she 
made  some  very  fine  passages.  Her  best  homeward 
runs  from  Calcutta  were  81,  83  and  84  days  :  on  one 
occasion  she  arrived  at  St.  Helena  only  38  days  out 
from  Madras. 

During  the  sixties  the  Newcastle  was  employed 
trooping  to  Calcutta,  but,  on  the  opening  of  the  Suez 
Canal  in  1869,  she  was  transferred  to  the  Melbourne 
passenger  trade. 

The    Newcastle     was    such    a    dry    ship     that    she 


THE  NEWCASTLE  241 

would  run  under  lower  topsails  before  a  Cape  Horn 
snorter  with  her  wash  deck  buckets  on  the  quarter 
galleries. 

Under  Captains  Robert  Taylor  and  C.  E.  Le  Poer 
Trench,  all  the  old  East  India  rules  and  discipline  were 
kept  up  in  the  Newcastle  ;  and  she  carried  a  ship's 
company  of  62  men.  The  midshipmen  had  their 
"devil,"  and  also  a  hammock-man,  who,  for  £1  per 
voyage  from  each  "young  gentleman,"  mended  and 
washed  their  clothes,  cut  their  hair,  and  did  his  best  to 
attend  to  their  multifarious  wants.  The  crew  had  their 
"fiddler,"  whilst  in  every  second  dog  watch  the  bosun 
used  to  pipe  "Hands  to  dance  and  skylark." 

I  can  give  no  greater  testimony  to  the  strength  of 
these  old  Blackwallers  than  to  record  the  escape  of  the 
Newcastle  in  the  famous  Calcutta  cyclone  of  5th  October, 
1859,  when  upwards  of  200  ships  were  driven  from  their 
moorings.  The  Newcastle  was  lying  in  the  tier,  fully 
loaded  and  ready  for  sea,  when  the  storm  burst  upon 
Calcutta. 

The  following  is  Captain  Taylor's  account  of  what 
happened  to  the  Neuccastle,  taken  straight  out  of  his 
own  private  log  book  : — 

5th  October.— At  daylight,  fresh  breeze  from  N.N. E.  and  gusty  with 
heavy  rain.  Barometer  29.75.  About  9,  wind  increased  in  squalls  and 
weather  very  thick  :  veering  to  N.E.  and  rapidly  increasing  :  furled 
awnings,  pomted  yards  to  the  wind,  put  on  extra  lashings,  attended 
cables,  etc.,  thick  blinding  rain  and  squalls  very  severe.  11  a.m., 
squalls  more  severe.  Barometer  falling  fast  with  wind  veering  to  N.E. 
by  E.     Secured  sails  with  extra  gaskets. 

Noon,  barometer  29.18  :  wind  E.N.E  :  main  topsail  and  main  try- 
sail blew  to  pieces  from  the  gaskets.  Tremendous  bore  and  storm  wave 
came  up  at  this  time.  1.30  p.m.,  wind  east.  The  ring  of  the  inshore 
bow  mooring  carried  away  and  we  sheered  alongside  the  ship  Winchester, 
carrying  away  our  port  cathead,  jibboom  and  fore  topgallant  mast. 
Hove  in  starboard  cable  and  bent  on  to  starboard  anchor  and 
let  it    go— both    port    boats    smashed.       2   p.m.,  ship   MuntHa,  swung 


242  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

across  our  stern,  much  injuring  quarter  galleries.     2.30  p.m.,  squalls 
tremendously  severe,  main  and  mizen  topgallant  masts  blew  away. 

Ships  Clytemnestra  and  Calwood  parted  and  drove  across  our  bows, 
carrying  awav  our  port  bow  mooring  and  the  Winchester's  bow  mooring. 
The  bridle  of  the  ii.shore  stern  mooring  then  parted  and  the  remaining 
stem  chain  tore  qui  of  the  timberheads  from  the  poop,  where  it  was 
secured. 

The  ship  then  drove  across  the  river,  taking  the  cable  from  the 
locker  to  about  95  fathoms,  when  it  parted.  Wind  E.S.E.  and  veering 
to  S.E.  At  this  time  the  wind  was  blowing  most  severely  and  the 
weather  so  thick  that  vessels  could  not  be  distinguished,  except  those 
quite  close. 

At  the  moment  of  the  ship  starting  from  her  moorings,  the  futtock 
hoop  of  the  foremast  broke  and  the  fore  topmast  went  over  the  side, 
taking  the  lower  masthead  with  it.  The  ship  drove  across  the  river 
touching  many  other  vessels  also  adrift,  and  took  the  other  shore  off 
Ramkistopore  Ghaut,  laying  right  over  on  her  port  broadside. 

Sounded  and  found  17  feet  on  the  inshore  side  at  3  p.m.  Barometer 
28.48.  Wind  began  to  veer  fast,  the  strength  of  the  gale  to  decrease  a 
little  and  the  barometer  to  rise. 

At  3.50  a  ship  drifted  by  us  and  took  away  starboard  cutter  and 
accommodation  ladder.  4  p.m.,  barometer  28.63.  The  steamer 
Mauritius  at  this  time  came  alongside  with  great  force,  driving  us 
further  on  shore  and  much  damaging  everything  on  our  starboard  side. 
The  Bolton  Abbey  then  came  in  ahead  of  us  (apparently  from  up  the 
river)  smashing  our  figurehead  and  carrying  away  port  anchor.  5  p.m., 
barometer  29.07.  The  wind  about  this  time  was  south  and  decreasing 
fast.  Squalls  less  frequent.  The  ship  gradually  righted  ;  lashed  the 
ship  to  the  Mauritius  to  keep  the  ship  upright.  At  G  p.m..  barometer 
29.t>2and  rising  very  fast  and  quite  calm  with  an  occasional  gust  from 
S.W.     At  low  water  had  2  feet  alongside. 

From  6th  to  15th  October,  all  hands  were  busy  dis- 
charging the  cargo  in  order  to  lighten  the  Neivcasile 
for  the  next  spring  tides  ;  a  raft  was  made  of  spare 
spars  upon  which  the  cargo  was  piled.  At  noon  on  the 
15th,  the  Bolton  Abbey  was  towed  off,  and  the  tug 
Sestos  tried  to  move  the  Newcastle,  but  only  broke 
the  hawsers. 

However,  after  several  attempts  and  the  laying  out 
of  many  anchors,  the  Nezvcastle  was  safely  floated  at 
2  p.m.  on  the  17th.     In  spite  of  her  battering  in  the 


THE  NEWCASTLE 


243 


cyclone  and  the  fact  that  for  over  a  week  she  had  been 
lying  across  a  ghaut,  with  her  hows  and  stern  in  soft 
mud,  so  that  her  whole  weight  was  sustained  amidships, 
the  Newcastle  proved  to  be  quite  tight,  drawing  12  feet 
11  inches  aft  and  13  feet  1  inch  forward. 

After  lying  for  some  days  on  the  P.  &  O.  moorings, 
tl  e  Neivcastle  was  taken  into  the  Government  Dock  at 
Kidderpore  to  undergo  repairs,  which  took  three  weeks. 
She  was  then  re-masted  and  re-rigged  and  left  Calcutta 
on  28th  January,  with  over  500  coolies  for  Trinidad. 
One  gains  a  good  idea  of  the  speed  of  different  vessels 
by  their  performances  in  company. 

In  December,  1865,  in  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  bound  to 
Calcutta,  the  Newcastle  and  Dunbar  Castle  were  four 
days  in  company,  the  Newcastle  at  length  leaving  the 
Dunbar  Castle  out  of  sight  astern. 

In  1869,  when  outward  bound  to  Calcutta,  the 
Newcastle  fell  in  with  the  Donald  MacKay  in  42°  N., 
11°  W.  The  Donald  MacKay  was  seven  days  out  from 
Cardiff  for  Callao,  whilst  the  Newcastle  was  eight  days 
out  from  the  Start.  This  was  on  the  1st  August  ;  on 
the  11th  August,  in  17°  58'  N.,  25°  58'  W.,  the  Donald 
MacKay  and  Newcastle  were  again  in  company,  and  the 
Newcastle's  log  read  : — 


Uth 

Aug. 

Donald 

MacKay 

in  company  on   port  beam. 

12th 

,, 

exchanged  colours. 

13th 

on  port  beam. 

Uth 

astern  4  miles. 

15th 

N.E.  i  E.  5  miles. 

16th 

hull  down  astern. 

17th 

courses  down  astern. 

18th 

on  port  bow  6  miles. 

19th 

on  starboard  bow  6  miles. 

The   ships   parted   company  on  opposite  tacks. 

On  her  first  passage  out  to  Melbourne  in  ISTO,   the 


244  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Newcastle  was     in    company  with    several  well-known 
ships  ;    the  following  are  the  extracts  from  her  logs  : — 

19th  September.— 42°  54'  N..  13°  43'  VV.  Light  wind  N.W.  to  east.  4 
days  out  from  Start.  Signalled  Bftttsh  Monarch,  London  to  Sydney,  4 
days  out. 

20th  September. — British  Monarch  on  starboard  beam. 

21st  September. — Signalled  Renoivn,  London  to  Madras.  9  days  out, 
strong  south  breeze. 

6th  October.— In  12°  N.,  27°  W.,  a.m.,  wind  fresh  Sly.  P.M..  calm. 
Signalled  Abergeldie,  London  to  Sydney,  24  days  out.  signalled  Poonah, 
London  to  Calcutta,  24  days  out,  signalled  Kent,  London  to  Melbourne, 
21  days  out,  signalled  Indian  Empire,  London  to  Calcutta,  18  days  out_ 

7th. — Indian  Empire  on  port  bow,  wind  east. 

8th. — Indian  Empire  on  port  bow,  wind  light  E.  to  S.E. 

9th. — Indian  Empire  ahead  (16  sail  in  sight).  Signalled  Carlisle 
Castle  and  Renown. 

10th. — Indian  Empire  and  Renown  on  starboard  quarter.  Wind 
strong  S.W. 

1 1th. — Renown  and  Carlisle  Castle  bear  W.  and  VV.N.W. 

\2th.— Renown  and  Carlisle  Castle  bear  N.W.  by  W.  and  W.N.W. 

13th. — At  daylight  Renown  astern  on  opposite  tack. 

16th — Crossed  the  line  in  23°  W.      Took  S.E.  trades. 

20th. — Signalled  Khersonese,  London  to  Calcutta,  49  days. 

22nd. — Khersonese  on  weather  beam.     Sighted  Trinidad. 

23rd. — Khersonese  on  lee  beam. 

2nd  November. — Crossed  Greenwich  meridian. 

9th.— 39°  18'  S.,    18°  24'  E.     Barque  Spirit  of  the  North  in  company. 

10th  November.— 39°  47'  S.,  19°  32'  E.,  S.  66°  E.,  74  miles.  Wind 
light  Sly.,  Khersonese  on  weather  beam. 

12th  November. — Signalled  British  Monarch.  Carlisle  Castle 
on  lee  bow. 

13th  November. — Carlisle  Castle  astern. 

14th  November.— 39°  6'  S..  2S°  38'  E.,  N.  80°  E.,  Ill  miles.  Light 
airs  Carlisle  Castle  on  starboard  beam.  Boarded  by  a  boat  trom 
Carlisle  Castle.  She  passed  close  under  our  stern,  flying  boom  over 
our  poop  ! 

15th  November. — Carlisle  Castle  on  port  bow. 

16th  November. — Carlisle  Castle  hull  down  ahead. 

17th  November. — Carlisle  Castle  hull  up  on  starboard  bow 

18th  November. — Carlisle  Castle  out  of  sight  ahead 

{Newcastle  made  her  best  runs,  on  20th  and  21st  November,  in  42° 
30'  S.,  both  being  290  miles.) 

10th  December. — Cape  Otway.  N.E.  15  miles; 

11th  December. — Passed  through  Heads,  87  days  out: 


NEWCASTLE.' 


"  LA    HOGUE." 


[  To  face  I'aije.  244. 


THE  NEWCASTLE  ^45 

{Newcastle's  best  passage  to  Melbourne  was  in  1871.) 

On  8th  June. — Took  her  departure  from  the  Start. 

2nd  July.— Crossed  the  line  in  29°  W. 

10th  July. — Sighted  Trinidad  Island. 

20th  July. — Crossed  Greenwich  meridian  in  37°  S. 

19th  August.— Signalled  Cape  Otway,  73  days  out.  (A  hard  gale, 
however,  kept  her  hove-to  oflf  her  port  for  5  days,  and  she  did  not 
pass  through  the  Heads  until  the  24th.) 

Her  best  homeward  passage  from  Melbourne  was 
in  1875. 

12th  July. — 9  a.m.,  passed  through  Port  Phillip  Heads  in  company 
with  Cardigan  Castle. 

8th  August. — Rounded  the  Horn. 

2nd  September. — Crossed  the  equator. 

29th  September. — 1.15  a.m.,  sighted  the  Wolf. 

1st  October. — Docked  in  Blackwall  Docks.  (The  Cardigin  Casile 
arrived  the  same  tide.) 

In  1873,  Newcastle  crossed  from  Sydney  to  San 
Francisco  in  54  days. 

27th  September. — Left  Frisco  in  company  with  British  Consul. 
21st  October. — Crossed  the  line  in  US"  \V. 
1.5th  November.— Passed  Diego  Ramirez  (49  days  out). 
30th  November. — Passed  Isle  of  Anglesey.  Frisco  to  Queenstown, 
73  days  out  {Newcastle  64  days  out). 


•♦Windsor  Castle." 

Probably  none  of  these  ships  were  quite  as  fast  as 
the  little  Windsor  Castle.  The  Windsor  Castle  was  usually 
in  the  :Melbourne  trade,  but  in  1873  she  came  home 
from  Manila,  and  in  1874  from  Sydney,  when  she  was 
dismasted  and  almost  lost.  Her  last  years  under 
Green's  flag  were  spent  in  the  Brisbane  trade,  in  which 
with  a  young  and  energetic  commander  she  made 
some  very  fine  passages. 


246  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Extracts    from    the    Log    of    the    "Windsor 
Castle." 

London  to  Melbourne,   1871. 

6th  February.— Left  East  India  Docks  with  19  first-class  passengrrs 
including  7  nuns,  12  second  class  and  15  third  class,  commanded  by 
Captain  Charles  Dinsdale,  with  a  crew  of  45  all  told. 

9th  February. — 11  p.m.,  off  Dungeness. 

11th  February. — 4  p.m..  Lizard  bore  N.N.W. 

23rd  February.— Signalled  the  Bayard,  London  to  Calcutta.  23  days 
out,  in  33'  36' N.,  19'  18' W. 

24th  February. — Sighted  Madeira. 

6th  March.— 10°  45'  N.,  25^  46'  W.  Distance  185  miles.  Fresh 
trade  blowing.  Signalled  Jerusalem,  London  to  Melbourne.  (This 
was  the  Aberdeen  White  Star  clipper.) 

11th  March. — Crossed  the  line,  28  days  out. 

13th  MdiTch.— J erusalem  in  company.      Variable  airs  and  calms. 

14th  March. — Jerusalem  in  company.      Variable  airs  and  calms. 

15th  March. — Found  a  dead  sheep  in  the  chain  locker. 

3rd  April. — Crossed  Greenwich  meridian  in  40°  40'  S.  Distance 
295  miles.     (Best  run  of  the  passage.) 

6th  May. — Cape  Otway  bore  N.N.E. 

6th  May. — Noon,  hauled  alongside  Sandridge  Railway  Pier. 

Melbourne  to  London. 

20th  June. — Passed  through  the  Heads. 

26th  July. — Sighted  Diego  Ramirez  E.N.E.,  36  days  out. 

10th  August. — Signalled  Moravian,  Melbourne  to  London,  54  days 
out.     (This  was  the  Aberdeen  White  Star  clipper.) 

19th  August. — Brought  up  off  Ascension. 

20th  August. — Left  Ascension  in  company  with  the  Flying  Squadron. 
Topaz,  Narcissus,  Immortalite,  Inconstant  and  Volage. 

24th  August. — Crossed  the  line. 

12th  September. — Flores  N.E.  by  N. 

18th  September. — Moravian  hull  down  astern. 

19th  September.— Lizard  light  E.N.E. 

21st  September. — Hauled  into  E.I.  Docks. 

The  above  was  a  steady  average  voyage  for  a  Black - 
waller  in  the  Australian  trade.  Captain  Dinsdale  was 
a  fine  seaman  of  great  experience  but  no  carrier  of  sail. 

London  to  Melbourne.   1871-2. 
5tb  December. — Hauled  out  of  East  India  Dock,  under  command 
of  Captain  N.  Harrison,  with  a  crew  of  42  and  38  passengers- 


LOG    OF    WINDSOR   CASTLE  247 

lOth  December.— Delayed  by  a  gale  in  the  Downs.  Sent  down 
main  skysail  mast. 

13th  December. — Noon,  Lizard  N.  64'  W..  26  miles.  S.W.  gales  to 
26th  December. 

25th  December.— Lat.  38°  19'  N..  long  10°  50'  W.  Course  S.I 2' 
E.  Distance  72  miles.  Wind  W.ly.  'i.30  a.m.,  shift  of  wind  in  a 
furious  squall.  8  a.m.,  struck  by  a  terrific  squall,  carried  awav  cross, 
jack  yard;  turned  the  hands  out  and  secured  the  wreck.  P.M.,  fresh 
gale  and  squalh-.  Ship  rolling  tremendously.  7.45  p.m.,  whilst 
the  ship  was  rolling  very  heavily,  John  Kendall,  midshipman,  having 
just  come  up  after  companion,  lost  his  balance  and  fell  through  the 
poop-rail  overboard.  As  it  was  blowing  a  gale  and  very  dark,  nothing 
could  be  done  to  save  him. 

29th  December.— Island  of  Palma  sighted. 

13th  January,  1873.— Crossed  the  Hne  in  24°  40'  W. 

14th  January. — 2  p.m.,  lowered  a  boat  and  boarded  English  ship 
Guinevere,  Foochow  to  New  York.  (This  was  the  well-known  tea 
clipper.) 

20th  January. — Sighted  Trinidad  Island. 

3rd  February. — Crossed  Greenwich  meridian  in  42°  21'  S. 

18th  February. — Distance  313  miles.  Wind  strong  N.N.E.  Lat 
44°  55'  S.,  long.  78°  12'  E. 

19th  February.— Lat.  44°  57'  S.,  long.  85"  25'  E.  Course  E.  Dis- 
tance 307  miles.      Wind  N.E.  strong. 

6th   March. — Signalled    Cape   Otway,   83   days    from    Lizard. 

7th  March. — 7  a.m.,  passed  through  the  Heads. 

(From  Melbourne  the  Windsor  Castle  went  to  New- 
castle, N.S.W.,  where  she  loaded  coal  for  Hongkong.) 

The  following  vessels  were  loading  at  Newcastle:— 

Ships — Knight  Commander,  Forward  Ho  (tea  clipper), 
Rota,  Zemindar,  Nelson,  Solo,  Inverness,  Vernon, 
Golden  Spur  {tea  clipper). 

Barques — Raiiiboiu,  Florence  Nightingale,  Lyitlelon, 
Esk,  Annie,  Buston  Vale,  Escort. 

Brig — August. 

Schooner — Lulu. 

Newcastle  to  Hongkong. 

6th  May. — 6.30  p.m.,  made  all  plain  sail  and  stood  away. 

12th  May.— 24°  12'  S.,  155°  39'  E.  Distance  152  miles.  Wmd 
east,  moderate.  A  look-out  stationed  in  fore  topmast  crosstrces 
observe^d  a  total  eclipse  of  the  moon,   passed  a  whaler. 


248  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

18th  May.— Sighted  the  Island  of  Bougainville. 

19tb  ?vlay.— 11  a.m.,  sighted  the  Island  of  New  Ireland.  Strong 
smell  of  flowers  and  hay  blown  oS  the  land.  Natives  cannibals  and 
treacherous.  Every  precaution  had  to  be  taken  against  an  attack. 
Two  carronades  loaded  and  primed. 

20th  May. — Two  native  canoes  with  14  men  came  ofi  from  New 
Ireland  with  fruit  and  vegetables. 

27th  May. — Passed  large  quantity  of  floating  trees,  some  100  feet 
long. 

28th  May. — Crossed  the  line  in  139°  E. 

30th  May. — Signalled  British  barque  Aberdeen,  of  Newcastle,  from 
Morton  Bay  to  Mindoro  Island,  61  days  out. 

10th  June. — Babuyan  Island  bore  N.W. 

nth  June. — Passed  through  very  strong  ripples. 

12th  June. — Signalled  German  brig  August,  Newcastle  to  Hongkong 
44  days.  Signalled  British  barque  Helen  Malcolm,  Newcastle  to  Hong- 
kong.  Signalled  British  ship  Inverness,  Newcastle  to  Hongkong,  49  days. 

14th  June. — Inverness  on  port  quarter. 

loth  June. — Passed  Inverness.  1  p.m.,  moored  in  Hongkong, 
40  days  out. 

(From  Hongkong  the  Windsor  Castle  proceeded  to 
Manila,  sailing  on  25th  June,  she  anchored  in  Manila 
on  5th  July.) 

Manila  to  Liverpool. 

30th  August. — 7.30  a.m.,  weighed  and  made  all  plain  sail.  Weather 
very  threatening,  wind  increasing  in  hard  squalls.  5.45  p.m.,  brought 
up  under  Mareveles  Mountain. 

(On  the  following  morning  the  hands  refused  to  man 
the  windlass.  Captain  Harrison  addressed  them  but 
there  was  evidently  some  serious  grievance,  for  they 
persisted  in  their  refusal ;  two  of  the  men  were  then 
put  in  irons,  and  the  mate  was  sent  away  in  the  life- 
boat to  a  Spanish  brigantine.  At  10.30  a.m.  the  after- 
guard of  the  Windsor  Castle,  assisted  by  6  men  from  the 
brigantine,  hove  into  30  fathoms,  then  the  men  gave  in, 
were  logged  for  refusal  of  duty  and  the  episode  closed. ) 

1st  September. — 7.30  a.m.,  weighed  and  made  sail.  Weather  very 
threatening,  wind  increasing,  fresh  and  squally,  barometer  falhng. 

(Th^  Windsor   Castle    had  the  usual  trying  time  of 


LOG   OF   WINDSOR   CASTLE  249 

squalls  and  calms  down  to  Alias  Staits  ;  and  she  was 
evidently  very  short  of  provisions,  for  on  30th 
September,  she  anchored  off  the  town  of  Bally,  where 
she  obtained  two  bullocks,  a  ^"^.t  and  other  stores.) 

2nd  October. — Passed  out  of  Alias  Straits.  (Her  best  run  in  the 
S.E.  trades  was  265  miles  on  10th  October.) 

1st  November. — Several  sail  in  company.  Signalled  Golden  Spur. 
4  p.m.,  sighted  land  about  Buffalo  River. 

5th  November. — Signalled  County  of  Berwick,  Sourabaya  to 
Rotterdam,  39  days. 

6th  November. — Signalled  British  Envoy,  from  Calcutta. 

9th  November.— Signalled  Contest,  Moulmein  to  Queenstown,  4B 
days.  6.1.5,  Agulhas  E.  \  N.  3  p.m.,  bore  up  for  Cb.pe  and  signalled 
signal  station.       4  p.m.,  kept  ship  on  her  course  again. 

(The  run  from  the  Cape  is  chiefly  interesting  lor  the 
sailing  contests  with  the  shipping  encountered.  The 
stores  must  have  been  very  low,  by  the  way  in  which 
tar,  oil  and  pork  were  bought  from  passing  ships.) 

16th  November. — Signalled  Connemara,  Calcutta  to  Dundee,  54 
days. 

17th  November. — 20°  S.,  2°  22'  W.,  at  daylight  Connrmara  astern 
6  miles.  9.30  a.m.,  in  stunsails,  hove  to  and  boarded  Convemara  for 
6  gallons  tar  and  2  gallons  oil,  1 1  a.m.,  boat  returned,  made  all  possible 
sail.       8  p.m.,  exchanged  rockets  with  Connemara. 

18th  November. — 6  a.m.,  Connemara,  on  port  quarter.  6  p.m., 
Connemara  on  starboard  quarter. 

19th  November. — Daylight,  Connemara  on  starboard  quarter. 

20th  November. — Connemara  on  starboard  quarter,  hull  down. 
Sighted  St.  Helena.     4  p.m.,  signalled  George  Gilray,  Calcutta  to  Dundee. 

{Connemara,  1293  tons,  built  New  Brunswick,  1867; 
owners — Sinclair  of  Liverpool.) 

21st  November. — Daylight.  George  Gilray  on  starboard  quarter. 
8  a.m  ,  signalled  German  ship  Herschcll,  Java  to  Falmouth,  57  days. 

24th  November. — 8  a.m.,  signalled  County  of  Berwick.  1.30  p.m., 
boarded  her  for  1  barrel  of  pork  and  2  gallons  boiled  oil.  Sunset, 
County  of  Berwick  S.W.  6  miles. 

25th  November. — Daylight,  County  of  Berwick  S.S.W.,  hull  down. 
Noon.  County  of  Berwick  S.  by  W.,  hull  down.  2  p.m.,  sighted  Ascension. 
8  p.m..  County  of  Berwick  right  astern  6  miles. 

26th  November. — Daylight,  County  of  Berwick  on  starboard  quarter. 


250  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Noon,  County  of  Berwick  abeam,  starboard  side.  4  p.m.,  County  of 
Berwick  1  point  before  the  beam. 

27th  November.^Daylight,  County  of  Berwick  1  point  before  the 
beam  nearly  out  of  sight. 

28th  November. — County  of  Berwick  on  starboard  quarter. 

{County  of  Berwick,  996  tons,  built  by  Connell  of 
Glasgow,  in  1868  ;    owners— R.  &  S.  Craig  of  Glasgow.) 

30th  November. — Crossed  the  line  in  21°  47'  W. 

2nd  December. — Signalled  Glenlora,  of  London.  Several  sail  in 
sight.       Signalled  Ann  Duthie,  of  Aberdeen,  outward  bound. 

3rd  December. — Signalled  French  brig  Architecie  Renard,  Hongkong 
to  Hamburg,  111  days  out.      4  ships,  2  barques  and  2  brigs  in  sight. 

4th  December. — Exchanged  colours  with  Itahan  ship  Lycka  Till, 
French  barque  P.W.V.S.,  British  barque  Fusilier,  of  Liverpool.  5  p.m., 
signalled  British  barque  Colchaqua,  of  Liverpool. 

6th  December.— 12°  48'  N.,  29°  16'  W.  Course  N.E.,  153  miles. 
Passed  through  strong  ripples. 

10th  December.— 20°  17'  N.,  32°  13'  W.  Signalled  Star  of  Scotia, 
Calcutta  to  London,  79  days.     Noon,  Star  of  Scotia  on  lee  quarter. 

{Star  of  Scotia,  999  tons,  built  by  Harland  of  Belfast, 
in  1864 ;  iron  ship  owned  by  Corry  &  Co.  of  Belfast.) 

17th  and  18th  December. — Moderate  E.N.E.  gale,  heavy  sea. 

19th  December. — Sent  down  crojjick  yard  to  strengthen  it.  P.M., 
fresh  N.N.E.  gale. 

21st  December. — Fished  crojjick  yard  and  crossed  it. 

22nd  to  24th  December. — Strong  to  moderate  S.W.  gale. 

24th  December.— 47°  54' N.,  21°  21' \V.  Distance  284  miles.  (Best 
run  of  passage.) 

27th  December.— 50°  03'  N.,  8°  26'  W.  Sounded  in  65  fathoms,  fine 
sand.  P.M.,  signalled  ships  Oheron,  Adelaide,  and  Marpheza,  barques 
Psyche,  Charlotte  Ann  and  Venus,  all  standing  to  S.W. 

29th  December. — 10  a.m.,  abreast  of  Hoh'head,  strong  gale  from 
southward. 

30th  December. — 2  a.m.,  dropped  anchor  in  Mersey,  121  days  out. 

Dismasting  of  the  "Windsor  Castle." 

In  1874  the  Windsor  Castle  had  a  most  disastrous 
voyage.  On  the  passage  out  to  Melbourne  she  lost  her 
mizen  topmast  and  main  topgallant  yard,  again  she  had 
trouble  with  her  men,  whilst  her  chief  officer  went  mad 
and  on  arrival  in  Australia  had  to  be  taken  to  an  asylum; 


WINDSOR  CASTLE.' 


From  an  old  Lilhoijrafh. 


['Jo  face  Page  250. 


LOG   OF    WINDSOR   CASTLE  251 

whilst    on    the    homeward    passage    she   was    not   only 
dismasted  but  could  with  difficulty  be  kept  afloat  until 
she  was  got  into  a  Brazilian  port. 
Her  log  records  as  follows: — 

London  to  Melbourne. 

Commander  N.  Piarrison,  13  first-class  passengers.  13  second-class 
and  5  third;  ship's  complement  49  souls  including  2  stewards,  2  cuddy 
servants,  captain's  servant,  midshipman's  servant,  baker  and  butcher, 
5  O.S.'s  and  4  boys. 

16th  February. — Hauled  out  of  E.I.  Docks. 

17th  February. — 2  p.m.,  left  Gravesend  in  tow  of  tug  Rescue. 

21st  February. — 3.15  a.m..  Lizard  E.  by  N. 

24th  to  26th  February.— W.S.W.  gale. 

5th  March. — Madeira  abeam. 

20th  March.— Crossed  the  line  in  22°  41'  W. 

11th  April. — Crossed  Greenwich  meridian  in  38'  37'  S. 

4th  May.— 44°  2'  S.,  88°  2'  E.  Distance  198  miles.  Winds  fresh  to 
strong,  N.W.  8  p.m.,  carried  away  mizen  topmast  and  main  topgallant 
yard . 

oth  May.— 44°  25'  S.,  93°  10'  E.  Distance  222  miles.  Winds  west, 
and  N.W.     All  hands  employed  clearing  away  the  wreck. 

6th  May. — 45°  19'  S.,  99°  3'  E.  Distance  2.56  miles.  Wmdb  west 
strong.     Carpenter  working  on  new  main  topgallant  yard. 

10th  May.— 44°  20' S.,  121°  159' E.  Distance  282  miles.  WindSW. 
and  west. 

12th  May. — Crossed  new  main  topgallant  yard. 

10th  May. — Hove  to  oflf  Heads  for  pilot.      84  days  out. 

20th  May. — 11.30  p.m.,  brought  up  in  Hobson's  Bay. 

21st  May. — Sent  ashore  men  who  refused  duty  on  27th  and  28th  April. 

22nd  May. — Seven  men  sent  to  prison  for  one  month,  two  for  six 

weeks. 

Melbourne  to  Sydney. 

14th  June. — Left  for  Sydney. 
24th  June. — Hauled  alongside  Circular  Quay. 

20th   July. — Chief  officer  pronounced   insane,   singing  and   talking 
nonsense;   second  officer  discharged  by  mutual  agreement. 
24th  July. — Chief  ofi&cer  taken  to  Gladsville  Asylum. 

Sydney  to  London. 

2nd  August.— 10  a.m.,  tug  Mystery  came  alongside;  proceeded  in 
tow.  Draft  18  feet  8  ins.  forward,  18  feet  10  inches  aft.  ModeraLe 
gale  and  heavy  sea.      Ship  labouring  and  straining  heavily. 

10th  August. — Lat.  3r  S' S.,  172^  56' E.     Distance  109  miles.    Wind, 


252  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

E.S.E.  increasing  with  heavy  squalls.  P.M..  fresh  gale  with  hard  sqnalis  ; 
reefed  topsails,  a  tremendous  sea  broke  aboard  between  starboard  for« 
and  main  rigging,  breaking  in  a  great  part  of  the  bulwarks. 

11th  August. — Moderate  gale  and  heavy  squalls.  Employed 
sending  in  flying  boom. 

13th  .\ugust. — On  taking  out  some  cargo  forward,  discovered  a 
leak  about  10  feet  fore  side  of  fore  channels  and  about  6  feet  below. 

15th  August. — Fresh  and  squally  east  wind.  Carpenter  over  the 
side  on  an  iron  stage  endeavouring  to  stop  the  leak. 

16th  August.-— Moderate  and  fine.  Hove  to,  carpenter  over  the  side 
again  endcavounng  to  stop  the  leak.     Ship  making  3  or  4  inches  an  hour. 

23rd  August.— 48»  6'  S.,  145"  51'  W.  Distance  263  miles.  Wind 
N.W.  strong  with  squalls.  Whilst  reefing  the  mizen  topsail.  Stratford 
(A.B.)  fell  from  aloft  on  deck,  but  being  so  heavily  clothed  he  was  not 
much  hurt. 

3rd  September.— 55°  50'  S.,  98°  0'  W.  Distance  273  miles.  Wind 
W.S.W.  strong  with  smart  snow  squalls. 

4th  September. — -Strong  gale  and  very  heavy  snow  squalls.  Ship 
knocking  about  tremendously  and  shipping  much  water.  A  great  part 
of  starboard  bulwark  washed  away  between  fore  and  main  masts.  Fire 
engine  pump  rigged  in  'tween  decks  and  worked  by  the  passengers. 

9th  September.— 52°  51'  S.,  56"  50'  W.  Distance  240.  Wind 
west  moderate  gale  with  passing  snow  squalls  The  men  are  now  able 
tc  stand  at  the  pumps  without  being  washed  away,  as  they  have  been 
during  last  week. 

(Best  run  to  Horn  on  22nd  August,  279  miles.) 

16th  September.— Lat.  38°  67'  S.,  long.  37°  50'  W.  Distance  175 
miles.  Wind  north.  Moderate  with  heavy  swell  from  N.W.  Caught 
quantities  of  mollyhawks.  P.M.,  wind  increasing  and  barometer  falling, 
S  p.m.,  in  topgallant  sails,  outer  jib  and  crossjack. 

17th  September.— Lat.  38°  57^'  S.,  long.  37°  50 J' W.  Midnight,  turned 
the  hands  out  to  reef  the  mainsail,  but  findins  the  wind  increasing  very 
rapidly  with  a  fast  falling  barometer,  handed  it.  reefed  the  upper  main 
topsail  and  left  the  yard  lowered  on  the  cap.  The  foresail  was  handed 
soon  after  midnight,  the  inner  jib  hauled  down  and  main  topmast 
staysail  reefed.  1.45  a.m.,  gale  increasing  rapidly  from  nor'ard.  Bar- 
meter  29.71.  6  a.m.,  handed  mizen  topsail;  the  fore  topmast  staysail 
was  blown  to  pieces.  The  ship  now  under  lower  fore  and  main  topsails 
and  reefed  main  topmast  staysail.  3.30  a.m.,  barometer  29.30.  The 
squalls  were  now  coming  down  with  violence  beyond  description. 
During  a  lull  the  reefed  main  topmast  staysail  was  hauled  down  and 
immediately  after  the  wind  came  with  such  awful  force  that  the  main- 
mast was  carried  away,  close  ofl  to  the  deck,  bringing  with  i^  the  mizen 


LOG   OF    WINDSOR  CASTLE  253 

topmast.  The  ship  was  for  some  little  time  with  her  lee  rail  under 
water,  but  as  the  squall  passed  over  she  righted.  8  a.m.,  barometer 
29.20.  The  passengers  were  immediately  set  to  work  the  pumps,  not 
knowing  what  damage  might  have  been  done  to  the  hull,  when  the 
mainmast  was  carried  away. 

It  fell  across  the  Lee  bulwarks;  breaking  them.  The 
weather  bulwarks  were  carried  away  by  the  ropes 
belayed  on  the  weather  side  ;  the  lee  channels  were  very 
much  torn  to  pieces  ;  one  of  the  skid  boats  was  knocked 
down  and  stove  m;  nearly  all  the  chain  plates  of  the 
weather  mizen  rigging  were  broken  at  the  same  time 
that  the  mainmast  went,  and  the  driver  gaff  came  down 
with  a  run. 

The  ship  was  now  in  a  sad  pliglit  with  the  mainmast 
and  all  its  gear  alongside,  and  the  mizen  topmast  with 
its  yard  and  topgallant  mast  lying  over  the  lee  quarter, 
with  the  lee  quarter  boats  davits  bent  down  and  the 
boat  dragging  in  the  water.  The  foreyard  and  topsail 
yards  were  flying  about  without  braces,  as  the  ship 
rolled  (and  as  the  »ea  was  now  getting  up,  this  she  did 
heavily),  causing  her  to  strain  very  much. 

As  many  axes  as  could  be  found  were  brought  into 
use  at  once;  the  ship  fortunately  was  soon  disentangled 
from  the  wreck ;  the  lee  quarter  boat  was  cut  away,  oars 
and  everything  belonging  to  her  were  lost  :  the  mizen 
top  was  much  broken  on  starboard  side  with  falling  of 
topmast. 

Soon  after  the  mainmast  went,  the  weather  cleared  up, 
although  the  ship,  having  no  sails  to  steady  her,  rolled 
and  laboured  very  heavily.  A  royal  was  cut  up  to  nail 
over  the  partners  of  the  mainmast  to  prevent  the  water 
from  getting  on  the  lower  deck,  but  before  this  could 
be  done  a  great  lot  of  water  got  below  from  the  heavy 
seas  which  constantly  broke  aboard. 

It  was  found  that  the  ship,  although  straining  fear- 


•254  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

fully,  liad  not  received  any  immediate  damage  to  hull, 
as  the  pumps  sucked  in  about  an  hour  and  a  half. 

The  after  skvlicrht  and  gratings  were  broken  when  the 
mizen  topmast  fell. 

At  the  latter  part  of  the  afternoon,  the  wind  had 
veered  to  N.W.  As  night  came  on  it  again  began  to 
blow  very  heavily  with  a  high  sea.  The  fore  topgallant 
mast  came  down,  breaking  the  topmast  cap. 

Barometer  again  going  down  with  much  lightning.  11  p.m., 
barometer  29.40. 

Friday,  18th  September. — Midnight,  w^ind  blowing  a  heavy  Wly.  gale 
with  a  high  sea.  Ship  rolling  and  labouring  fearfuUy,  laying  in  the 
trough  of  the  sea,  a  tarpaulin  placed  in  mizen  rigging  to  keep  her  to, 
but  it  had  no  effect. 

2  a.m. — The  fore  topmast  came  down  with  a  run 
falling  on  port  fore  rigging  ;  the  upper  topsail  yard 
went  through  the  forecastle  deck  ;  the  foreyard  was 
canted  over  end  :  the  port  yardarm  had  a  bit  of  a  lashing 
put  on,  but  as  the  ship  was  rolling  so  heavily,  it  could 
not  be  properly  secured,  consequently  it  was  knocking 
about  very  much :  the  starboard  yardarm  banging  hard 
against  the  trestle  trees  and  breaking  them  all  to  pieces: 
the  foretop  smashed  when  the  topmast  came  down. 

Daylight,  blowing  very  heavily,  tremendous  sea  on.  Ship  rolling 
to  such  an  extent  that  at  times  it  was  impossible  to  get  along  the  decks. 

The  foreyard  was  all  this  time  swinging  about  very 
much.     Getting  aloft  to  secure  it  was  out  of  the  question. 

Succeeded  in  getting  a  lashing  round  the  lower  yardarm  and  the 
foremast,  which  partially  steadied  it.  Lashings  were  also  passed 
round  the  broken  topmast  and  yards,  W;  lich  were,  in  a  manner,  locked 
in  the  fore  rigging. 

As  the  ship  was  rolling  and  labouring  so  heavily  the 
captain  had  a  consultation  with  the  chief  officer  and 
carpenter  about  throwing  cargc  overboard,  to  endeavour 
to  ease  her,  for  it  appeared  certain  that  the  ship  could 
not  last  long  with  the  violent  straining;    consequently 


LOG    OF    WINDSOR   CASTLE  255 

parties  were  set  on  at  both  ends  of  the  ship  to  discharge 
overboard  cases  of  preserved  meats  or  whatever  came  to 
hanl. 

Two  drags  were  got  over  tlie  bows  witli  long  lengths 
of  hawsers  to  keep  her  to  the  wind,  but  they  appeared 
to  have  no  effect,  for  the  sea  was  so  high  that  her  head 
could  not  be  got  up  to  the  wind  in  spite  of  the  main 
topmast  staysail  which  was  set  on  the  mizen  stay,  as 
well  as  one  or  two  other  sails  set  aft  in  the  best  manner 
possible. 

During  this  time  the  ship  was  labouring  and  straining 
most  violently;  gear,  etc.,  was  flying  about  the  decks; 
also,  hencoops,  skylights  and  other  fixings — all  being 
broken  to  pieces,  notwithstanding  everything  being 
lashed  as  well  as  possible  under  the  circumstances. 

Afternoon. — The  gale  still  very  heavy  with  a  fearful  sea,  and  the 
ship  labouring  to  such  an  extent  that  it  seemed  impossible  that  she 
could  hold  together  ;  but  for  all  that  the  pumps  were  sucking  constantly 
throughout  the  day,  the  passengers  working  the  fire  engine  in  the 
'tween  decks. 

19th  September. — Midnight,  blowing  heavily  from  westward. 
Barometer  20.70.  Found  both  forestays  carried  away,  but  the  foreyard 
had  locked  itself  securely  in  the  trestle  trees.  Got  a  large  tackle  to  the 
masthead  and  set  it  up  to  the  bowsprit  and  secured  the  foremast. 
Daylight,  turned  to — up  driver  gaff.  The  ship  being  a  little  steadier, 
succeeded  in  getting  it  up  and  set  a  reefed  driver 

This  had  the  desired  effect,  brought  the  ship  to  the 
wind,  and  as  there  was  less  sea  on,  the  ship  became 
easier. 

Afternoon. — Set  up  a  preventer  mizen  stay,  rendering  the  mast 
tolerably  secure. 

Evening. — Set  the  crossjack,  the  wind  being  from  S.W.  and  the 
squalls  less  heavy.  The  sea  still  continues  very  high  causing  the  ship 
to  roll  frightfully. 

20th  September.— Lat.  38^  35'  S..  long.  32°  28'  W.  Distance  run 
from  16th  September  257  miles.  In  the  morning  managed  to  get  up  a 
jib  forward. 


256  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Tins  was  the  lirst  i\no  day  since  hcin/^'  disinasted. 
The  wreck  had  hy  this  lime  l)ccii  (dcarcd  away,  a  jury 
mizcn  topiuast  sent  up,  on  which  was  set  a  reeled  ini/.eii 
topsail:  and  a  lower  stunsail  was  set  I'orwaril  for  a 
foresail.  Ft  was  impossible  to  rig  up  a  jury  uuiiiiuiast 
on  account  of  the  severe  rolling  of  the  ship. 

Pumps  constantly  attended  and  everything  apparently  going  on 
well.      Crew  in  health. 

2l3t  September.— Lat.  37^  20'  S.,  long.  32"  W.  Distance  72  miles, 
winds  S.W.,  south,  S.E.  Got  up  stream  chain,  two  parts  of  which  were 
taken  for  a  f(jrestay. 

22nd   September. -Lat.   30°   37'   S.,    long.    32"   27'    W.        Distance 
53    miles.     Winds    S.K.,    east,    and    N.E.     Employed    sending    down 
foreyard  and  sending  up  jury  foreyard  (lower  foretop.sail  yard).      P  M 
set  mizen  top.sail  for  a  foresail. 

23rd  September.  —Strong  N.W.  wind  and  rainy.  Heavy  sea,  ship 
rolling  frightfully  at  times.  A.M.,  people  em|)loyed  putting  extra 
lashings  on  spars,  etc.,  passed  lashings  round  the  engine  house.  P.M. 
commenced  to  work  the  condenser. 

24th  September.  -Wind  N.W.  Ship  rolling  and  straining  very  much. 
Ship  making  about  7  inches  of  water  ju-r  hour,  pumped  principally  by 
passengers.      Sent  up  jury  miz('n  topmast. 

25th  September. — Wind  west.  One  of  the  iron  brakes  for  the  pumps 
was  broken  last  night.  Carpenter  employed  making  a  wooden  one. 
Set  a  reefed  main  topmast  staysail  on  mizen  topmast  stay;  pasHeiiK'M< 
working  at  the  pumps  as  well  as  crew.  Ship  laying  within  7  and  7| 
points  <jf  the  wind. 

20th  September.  -Lat.  34"  31'  S  ,  long  28^  31.'  W.  Distam  e  run 
during  last  four  days  229  miles.  Wiut!  .N  VV.  l';mj)loyed  .bout 
rigging. 

27th  September.— Lat.  32"  40'  S.,  long.  27"  8'  W.  Distance  131 
miles.  Wind  N.N.W.  Ship  rolling  and  straining  very  much.  I'eopl* 
getting  mizen  topsail  yard  ready  for  sending  aloft. 

28th  September.  -Wind  N.W.,  fresh  and  overcast.  AM,  sent 
mizen  topsail  yard  aloft.  P.M.,  ship  rolling  heavily.  This  constant 
rolling  strains  the  ship  very  much,  for  shn  makes  more  water  when 
rolling  heavily,  necessitating  one  hour's  pumping  at  least  every  4  hours 

29th  September.  -Lat.  31'^  0'  S.,  long.  25"  43'  W.  Distance  in 
two  days  123  miles.  Wind  S.W.  lient  and  set  mizen  topsail,  (hmblo 
reefe(i,  on  jury  mizen  topmast.  Light  wind  .md  fine.  Keduced  « 
foresail  and  bent  it  on  jury  foreyard. 

30th  September.— Lat.   29'  4U'  S  ,  long.   25'  29'   W.     Distance  81 


LOG   OF    WINDSOR   CASTLE  257 

miles.  Lifiht  S.W.  v/ind  and  fine.  Carpenter  repairinc;  boat  which 
was  stove  in  when  mainmast  went.  Up  to  this  date  from  time  of 
being  dismasted  issued  to  each  adult  2  quarts  of  water  per  day  (on 
Sundays  3)  this  day  issued  3  pints  to  each  adult.  Ship  making  about 
8  inches  of  water  per  hour.  Kvening,  kept  the  ship  op  to  N.  by  W.  for 
the  purpose  of  taking  h«r  into  a  Brai:ilifin  port  to  repair,  Captain 
Harrison  con^ideiin;^'  (hat  it  will  be  for  th«  bttuetit  of  all  concerncxl  to 
do  so,  for  the  jhip  in  cousvcfuence  of  the  heavy  atraiuiug  she  has  lately 
received  be;;ins  (u  feci  tha  «ilifct^,  as  i\ii»  make*  morv  w.it'^r  than  usual. 
In  fact,  the  prchc^ut  crippled  stnt*  of  the  ship  uud  th*  impoMibility  uf 
Retting  up  g«od  jury  uia-jts,  so  much  of  th«  riRjinj  bfitij  lost,  with  the 
increased  tendency  of  the  ship  lo  mak«  water,  beinj  considered,  the 
captain  is  of  opiriiuB  that  it  would  be  runaiug  a  very  great  risk  to 
proceed  on  the  voyajje,  ;i»  som«  damage  might  hav*  occurred  to  tha 
Lull,  which,  in  further  bad  weather,  might  prove  fatal  to  her. 

IsL  October.— f.at.  1>8'  22'  S.,  loiiij.  2»>'  3'  W.  Uiatance  SJ  miles. 
Wind  drawing  into  the  S.E.  with  line  weather. 

2nd  October. —Lat.  27"  4'  S.,  long.  2«'  IS)'  W.  Distance  87  miles. 
Wind  easterly.  People  employed  rigging  a  mast  (flying  jibboom)  to 
set  a  sail  (main  royal)  above  the  foresail.  Full  allowance  of  water 
issued  again. 

3rd  October.— Lat.  25"  r,2'  S.,  long.  28°  21'  W.  Distance  1 10  miles. 
Wmd  N.E.ly.       Distance  to  Bahia  984  miles. 

Towards  cveninij  it  was  found  that  the  ship  (notwith- 
standing the  sea  beinj,'  perfectly  smooth)  was  making 
upwards  of  1  fo(jt  of  water  per  hour — evidently  from 
some  fresh  place  having  broken  out  in  consequence  of 
the  heavy  strain  at  the  time  the  ship  was  dismasted. 

Got  water  kegs  filled  and  saw  everything  ready  with  boats,  etc.,  for 
an  emergency:  passengers  and  crew  working  at  the  pumps  throughout 
the  night.      Ship's  course  set  for  port  of  Bahia. 

4th  October.— Lat.  2S*  16'  S..  long.  27*  23'  W.  Distance  l5i  miles. 
Winds  S.W.,  south  and  S  E.  Ship  now  making  1«  to  17  inches  an  hour, 
notwithstanding  the  sea  being  quite  smooth. 

As  the  leak  was  increasing  rapidly  a  pair  of  shears 
was  rigged  over  the  main  hatch  for  purpose  of  throwing 
overboard  cargo  and  hoisting  the  longboat  out. 

In  the  forenoon  we  sighted  the  brig  Eastern  Star  of  London.  Captain 
Warren,  bound  for  Port  Natal,  from  whom  we  procured  a  longboat  anJ 
•ome  rope,  as  further  sec*^»»ty  for  passeni'^crs  and  cvsw;   the  *»rig  altered 

9 


258  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

her  course  and  kept  in  company  with  us  all  night.       People  employed 
throwing  overboard  cargo  from  main  'tween  decks  and  fore  hold. 

5th  October.— Lat.  23°  55'  S.,  long.  27°  23'  W.  Distance  SO  miles. 
Light  S.E.  wind  and  fine.  Daylight,  brig  Eastern  Star  proceeded 
on  her  course  on  our  signalling  that  all  was  well,  the  ship  not  making 
more  water  than  yesterday.  9.30  a.m.,  signalled  British  ship  A  maranth- 
from  Liverpool  to  Bombay. 

Captain,  chief  officer,  carpenter,  and  Stewart,  Campbell  and  New 
(A.B.'s)  held  a  consultation  in  captain's  cabin  when  it  was  decided  to  throw 
over  more  cargo  and  lighten  the  ship  forward.  One  watch  put  on  to  dis- 
charge cargo  from  forehold  and  kept  at  work  till  4  p.m.  Other  watch  at 
work  in  'tween  decks  squaring  up  and  securing  cargo  after  yesterday's 
work  at  discharging. 

6th  October.— Lat.  22°  39'  S.,  long.  27'  33'  W.  Distance  77  miles. 
Wind  S.E.  Employed  clearing  out  longboat,  passengers  working  the 
pumps.  Rigged  stunsail  boom  in  starboard  waist  for  a  derrick  for 
getting  out  longboat.  Crew  and  passengers  working  in  turn  at  pumps 
pumping  about  3  minutes  in  7.      Ship  making  1  foot  of  water  per  hour. 

7th  October.— Lat.  21°  1'  S.,  long.  28°  19'  W.  Distance  107  miles. 
Wind  S.E.  Employed  setting  two  small  staysails  from  fore  topmast 
head  out  to  fore  yardarms.     3.30  p.m.,  sighted  Martin  Vaz  Rocks. 

(Six  more  days  of  hard  pumping  and  slow  progress 
brought  the  battered  Windsor  Castle  safely  into  Bahia.) 

14th  October. — Moderate  wind  and  fine.  9  a.m.,  rounded  the  light- 
house. Noon,  dropped  anchor  in  10  fathoms.  Pumps  constantly 
going  till  4.30  p.m.  when  a  suck  was  obtained.  8  p.m..  natives  came  ofif 
and  worked  the  pumps  all  night. 

15th  October. — Began  discharging  cargo. 

17th  October. — Discovered  a  large  leak  a  little  abaft  the  starboard 
forechains. 

20th  October. — Passengers  left  in  steamship  Galileo. 

13th  November.^A  diver  employed  replacing  copper  underwater 
that  had  been  torn  off  by  the  wreck,  17th  September. 

16th  November. — A  gassoon  rigged  over  the  side  and  ship  caulked 
below  water  mark  where  necessary. 

29th  November. — Got  foreyard  alongside  from  Jaquitara. 

1st  December. — Mainmast  towed  alongside  from  Tapishipe. 

2nd  December. — Hove  in  and  stepped  new  mainmast. 

nth  December. — Ship  making  about  1  inch  water  per  hour. 

15th  December, — Mr.  G..  chief  officer,  deserted. 

18th  December. — Mainyard  towed  alongside,  lashed  to  a  boat,  not 
being  floatablo. 


LOO  OF  WINDSOR   CASTLE  259 

20th  December.— Second  officer  left  for  home,  and  third  appointed 
second. 

27th  December. — New  chief  officer  joined. 

29th  December.— Effects  of  late  chief  officer,  who  deserted,  sold  by 
auction.      Ship  making  1  i  inches  of  water  per  hour. 

(A  steam  engine  and  new  pumps  had  been  embarked.) 

9th  Januar}',  1875. — Unmoored  ship  and  towed  to  Franguia. 

13th  January. — Surveyors  came  off.  Hands  came  aft  wishing  to 
know  if  anything  was  going  to  be  done  to  the  boats  before  going  to  sea. 

20th  January. — 5.30  p.m.,  up  anchor  and  stood  to  sea  on  port  tack. 
When  underweigh  fired  two  guns. 

(All  went  well  except  that  the  ship  gradually  made 
more  water,  and  on  2Gth  January,  as  the  ship  was  making 
6  or  7  inches  of  water  an  hour,  the  captain  decided  to 
put  into  Rio  de  Janeiro.) 

27th  January.— Lat.  15'  S'  S.,  long.  34'  47'  W.  Distance  163  miles. 
Wind  easterly.  Moderate  trade  and  hne.  Ship  making  8  inches 
an  hour.  4  to  6  a.m..  pumps  not  worked,  the  steam  pump  was  then 
started  and  continued  till  1 1  a.m.,  before  she  was  pumped  out.  3  p.m., 
steam  pumps  again  started  and  worked  till  8  p.m.,  at  which  time  with 
aid  of  an  hour's  pumping  at  main  pumps  ship  was  dry.  5  p.m.,  well 
showed  21  inches.  6.30  p.m.,  well  22  inches,  showing  that  steam 
pumps  alone  would  not  keep  her  clear. 

28th  January. — Ship  making  1  foot  an  hour.  Steam  pumps  (which 
now  throw  very  much  more  water)  going  nearljr  all  dav. 

2nd  February.—  Arrived  at  Rio,  where  the  cargo  was 
discharged,  the  ship  dry  docked  and  seams  in  the  floor, 
each  side  of  mainmast,  discovered  much  opened. 

The  poor  old  Windsor  Castle  was  not  to  get  out  of  Rio 
without  further  troubles:  after  nearly  drifting  on  to  a 
ledge  of  rocks  off  Mocangur  Grande,  she  was  at  last 
considered  fit  for  sea,  but  owing  to  yellow  fever  raging 
in  the  city  and  the  fact  that  several  of  the  crew  were  ill 
with  fever  symptoms.  Captain  Harrison  had  further 
anxieties  now  that  the  leak  had  been  conquered. 

7th  March. — Towed  to  sea. 

23rd  March.— Lat.  1°  18'  N..  long.  34°  2'  W.  Distance  102  miles. 
Wind  N.E.    12.30  a.m.,  passed  the  ship  Tyburma.     At  dayhght  backed 


260  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

crossjack  yard  and  waited  for  Tyburnia,  60  days  from  Sydney  to  London. 
Noon,  visited  by  Captain  Golder  of  Tyburnia.  Dr.  Woodhouse  visited 
Tyburnia  and  performed  some  operations.  6.30  p.m.,  filled  and  stood 
on.     Ship  Cape  Horn  in  company. 

(The  rest  of  the  passage  passed  without  incident 
except  that  the  bobstay  parted  in  an  S.S.E.  gale  in 
50°  S.  14' W.) 

The  Windsor  Castle  had  easterly  winds  in  the  Channel, 
after  making  Cape  Clear  on  17th  April,  and  did  not 
reach  Gravesend  until  28th  April,  52  days  from  Rio, 
and  269  days  from  Sydney. 

On  her  refit  in  London,  she  was  only  lightly  sparred, 
with  no  sk3^sails  or  stunsails;  nevertheless,  under 
Captain  John  Smith  who  was  a  young  man  with  good 
nerve  and  a  great  sail  carrier,  she  made  some  very  good 
passages. 

Henceforth  she  generally  loaded  for  Brisbane,  her 
best  passages  to  Moreton  Bay  being  89  days  from  the 
Start  in  1879  and  84  days  from  Plymouth  in  1881.  In 
1879  she  was  in  company  with  the  Jessie  Readman  for 
14  days  running  the  easting  down. 

In  1880  Windsor  Castle  was  78^  days  from  Plymouth 
to  Cape  Wickham  light,  then  had  calms  and  light  airs, 
arriving  Rockhampton,  90|  days  out. 

She  usually  loaded  wool  home.  At  10  a.m.  on  13th 
November,  1880,  she  dropped  her  pilot  outside  Port 
Phillip  Heads ;  on  the  5th  December  she  was  in  company 
with  the  Aristides  until  the  9th,  when  Aristides  was 
astern.  On  the  11th  Aristides  was  again  in  sight,  and 
the  two  vessels  passed  the  Horn  together  on  the  following 
day.  On  17t]i  December  Windsor  Castle  sprang  her 
mainyard  which  had  to  be  fished.  The  equator  was 
crossed  on  the  5th  January.  On  12th  January  Mermerus 
was  in  company  on  the  port  beam;  on  the  16th  she  was 


WINDSOR   CASTLE  261 

still  in  sight  on  starboard  quarter,  but  disappeared 
beneath  the  horizon  on  the  17th.  At  8  p.m.  on  4th 
February,  Windsor  Castle  sighted  the  Lizard  lights,  84 
days  out,  picked  up  her  pilot  on  the  5th  and  docked  on 
the  7th.  She  had  beaten  three  of  the  most  famous  wool 
clippers  home,  namely,  Ben  Voirlich,  Mermerus  and 
Salamis,  but  had  been  beaten  in  her  turn  by  Aristides 
and  her  namesake,  Donaldson  Rose's  Windsor  Castle. 
The  times  of  the  six  ships  were  as  follows:— 


Ben   Voirlich 
Mermerus 

left 

Melbourne 

Nov. 

5 
5 

arrived 

Feb. 

7    94 
4     91 

days, 

Salamis 

j^ 

Geelong 

,, 

9 

,, 

., 

5    88 

„ 

Windsor  Castle 

rflelbourne 

,, 

11 

,, 

„ 

5    86 

., 

(Green's) 

Windsor  Castle 

„ 

Sydney 

„ 

13 

,, 

Jan. 

31   79 

,, 

(D.  Rose) 

Aristides 

,j 

Melbourne 

,, 

17 

,, 

Feb. 

4  79 

.. 

In  1881  she  loaded  wool  home  from  Sydney;  passed 
through  the  Heads  on  7th  November  ;  rounded  the  Horn 
18th  December  ;  on  the  23rd  was  in  company  with  Loch 
Garry  and  on  the  5th  January  with  Samuel  Plimsoll  and 
Baron  Aberdare,  which  .ships  remained  in  sight  until  the 
9th ;  crossed  the  equator  on  18th  January  ;  1st  February 
Baron  Aberdare  again  in  company  on  starboard  quarter. 
On  the  8th  Febiniary,  with  the  wind  fresh  and  increasing 
from  west,  Windsor  Castle  sprang  her  mainmast  at  the 
spider-band  below  the  top.  The  ship  was  kept  away, 
all  sail  was  furled  on  the  mainmast  and  the  main  royal 
and  topgallant  yards  sent  down.  At  3  p.m.  a  spare 
jibboom  was  sent  aloft  for  a  ii.sh  and  well  secured  with 
chain  lashings  and  tackles  from  main  masthead  to 
mizen  masthead.  This  was  a  smart  piece  of  work,  for 
by  that  time  it  was  blowing  a  strong  W.S.W.  gale  with 
hard  gusts  and  heavy  sea.,  the  ship  lurching  and  taking 
much  water  overall. 


262  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Her  passage  was  spoilt,  and  she  limped   up  to  the 
Eddy-stone  on  23rd  February  and  docked  on  the  26th. 
Greens  sold  the  Windsor  Castle  in  1882. 
In  1884  she  foundered  40  miles  south  of  Algoa  Bay. 

The  Ghost  of  the  "Norfolk." 

It  is  curious  that  with  all  the  wealth  of  evidence 
regarding  ghosts  and  supernatural  apparitions  ashore 
there  are  very  few  cases  of  ghosts  aboard  ship,  which 
have  not  a  comic  explanation. 

The  sailor  has  always  been  considered  one  of  the  most 
superstitious  of  mortals,  with  fixed  beliefs  as  to  bad 
luck  or  misfortune  being  due  to  the  presence  of  a  great 
variety  of  objects,  from  parsons  to  black  cats. 

One  could  write  a  large  book  on  the  superstitions  of 
sailors,  dating  from  the  earliest  ages,  and  of  their  causes, 
of  phantom  ships  and  giant  ships,  of  monstrous  canoes 
and  spectre  junks,  of  extra  hands  on  yardarms,  of 
corpses  following  ships,  and  of  the  killing  of  sea  birds. 
Literature  already  possesses  certain  masterpieces  on 
such  superstitions,  such  as  those  of  the  Flying  Dutchman 
and  the  Ancient  Mariner,  which  is  founded  on  the 
killing  of  a  black  hen  in  Shelvocke's  Journal. 

Ghosts,  however,  which  have  not  been  explained 
away  are  very  scarce.  And  of  these  the  extra  hand 
is  the  most  common.  He  was  usually  the  apparition 
of  an  old  shipmate,  who  had  lost  his  life  on  some 
previous  passage  or  voyage,  and  was  so  attached  to  his 
old  ship  that  he  would  always  appear  and  lend  a  hand 
in  dirty  weather  or  when  she  was  in  difficulties. 

In  a  few  cases  this  extra  hand  was  considered  to  be  the 
devil  by  the  more  superstitious  of  the  ship's  crew,  who 
declared  that  he  smelt  of  brimstone,  blew  smoke  from 
his  nostrils,  had  a  tail  curled  under  his  jacket,  and  a 


THE  NORFOLK'S   GHOST  263 

cloven  hoof  which  burnt  a  mark  on  the  deck;  and,  if 
accidentally  touched,  scorched  the  fingers  of  the  man 
who  touched  him. 

Several  ships  were  supposed  to  sail  with  an  extra 
hand  on  board,  whilst  one  ship,  a  passenger  steamer, 
rejoiced  in  an  extra  steward. 

Masefield  in  his  Tarpaulin  Muster  has  a  charming 
essay  on  ghosts  aboard  ship,  and  mentions  the  case  of 
a  ship  with  a  haunted  poop.  That  ship  was  the  well- 
known  John  Elder,  built  in  1870  by  Eider,  of  Glasgow, 
for  the  Pacific  S.N. Co. 

The  following  account  of  the  ghost  on  the  Biackwaller 
Norfolk  I  have  taken  from  Bemniiniscences  of  a  Black- 
wall  Midshipman.  Whilst  the  Norfolk  was  hove  to  off 
the  Horn,  a  curious  noise  was  heard,  which  the  super- 
stitious members  of  the  crew  declared  to  be  "the  rattle 
in  a  dying  man's  throat. "  The  noise  was  plain  enough 
to  all  ears,  but  though  a  search  was  made  it  could  not 
be  located.  Shortly  after  this  noise  had  started, 
during  one  of  the  night  watches,  a  frightful  yelling 
broke  out  forward.  The  officer  of  the  watch  immedi- 

ately went  to  see  what  the  hullaballoo  was  about,  and, 
on  mounting  the  foe 's'le -head,  was  astounded  to  see  a 
white  figure,  with  uplifted  arms  and  black  hair  streaming 
in  the  wind,  standing  on  the  windlass  and  screeching 
out  "The  Vision  of  Judgment,"  whilst  the  lookout 
man  crouched  at  the  end  of  the  weather  cathead  in  a 
piteous  state  of  terror. 

The  apparition  proved  to  be  a  third  class  passenger 
who  had  gone  off  her  head.  She  was  taken  below  and 
handed  over  to  the  ship's  doctor. 

The  mysterious  "rattle  in  the  dying  man's  throat" 
was  presently  discovered  to  be  the  play  of  the  wind  upon 
a  loose  galiev  funnel  stay.     The  two  incidents,  however, 


264  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

must  have  raised  a  crop  of  nerve-thrilling  yarns  in  the 
dog  watches  during  the  remainder  of  the  passage. 

The  Speedy  "Suffolk." 

The  Norfolk  has  been  credited  with  a  run  of  C8 
days  to  Melbourne,  but  she  was  probably  not  as  fast  as 
her  slightly  larger  sister,  the  Suffolk,  which  in  1860 
made  the  same  run  in  70  days. 

The  Norfolk  was  one  of  the  last  of  the  sailing  ships 
retained  by  Money  Wigram  when  he  went  in  for 
auxiliary  steam,  but  the  Suffolk  was  sold  to  H.  Ellis  & 
Son  in  the  early  seventies  and  her  new  owners  stripped 
the  yards  off  her  mizen  mast.  In  the  eighties  she 
became  a  country  ship,  but  was  lost  in  1890. 

The  Wreck   of    the    "Duncan    Dunbar.'* 

The  largest  ship  of  Dunbar's  fiect  was  called  after 
her  owner.  She  did  not,  however,  have  a  very  long 
life,  as  she  was  wrecked  on  the  Roccas  Reef  in  1805. 
She  left  London  under  Captain  Swanson  on  8th  August 
and  Plymouth  on  2nd  September,  1SG5.  She  struck  the 
reef  on  high  water  at  8.  SO  p.m.  on  7th  October.  As  soon 
as  it  was  discovered  that  the  ship  was  hard  and  fast, 
the  passengers  and  crew  were  landed  on  the  desolate 
sandspit,  whilst  Captain  Swanson  set  off  to  Pernambuco 
for  help  in  a  lifeboat.  After  making  120  miles,  he  was 
picked  up  by  the  American  sliip  Hayara  and  dropped 
15  miles  from  Pernambuco,  where  he  obtained  help 
from  the  Oneida,  Royal  Mail;  and  every  one  on  the 
sandspit,  in  number  116  souls,  was  safely  rescued. 

♦♦Tyburnia's*'  Pleasure  Cruise. 

One  of  the  grandest  looking  ships  in  Somes'  fleet 
was   the  Tyburnia,  a  well-known  trooper  in  her  day. 


TYBURNLrS   CRUISE  265 

This  ship  had  a  curious  adventure  in  1884,  which  was 
thus  reported  in  the  Times. 

In  1884.  the  Pleasure  Sailing  Yacht  Company  chartered  a  ship 
named  the  Tybumia  for  a  trip  to  different  parts  of  the  world  at  the  rate 
of  a  guinea  a  head  per  day. 

The  yacht  on  arriving  at  Madeira  a  fortnight  ago  was  anchored  near 
the  Loo  Bat-tery  in  the  quarantine  ground,  and  was  ballasted  with  goods 
such  as  ceinent,  etc.,  which  might  yield  a  profit  at  the  various  ports 
touched  at.  Owing  to  a  misunderstanding  with  the  Portuguese 
Custom-house  authorities,  on  account  of  their  sj'stem  of  extortion, 
Captain  Kennaley  was  informed  that  hi«  ship  would  be  seized  and 
confiscat-cd,  whereupon  he  told  them  that  when  the  Portuguese  officers 
attempted  to  board  hi.?  ship  they  would  be  flung  into  the  sea. 

The  Military  Gorernor  then  gave  orders  to  fire  upon  the  yacht  when 
she  attempted  to  leave  the  moorings.  Captain  Kennaley,  who  had 
successfully  run  the  American  blockade  thirteen  times,  did  not  fear  the 
threat,  and  being  assured  of  the  confidence  of  his  passengers,  made  sail 
at  8.40  a.m.,  and  getting  her  head  round  the  fort  fired  two  blank  charges. 

As  soon  as  she  was  undei-weigh  the  fort  fired  at  her  with  ball,  carrying 
away  some  ropes  on  the  bov. sprit.  The  passengers,  both  ladies  and 
gentlemen,  decHned  to  go  below  in  spile  of  the  continuous  firing  from 
the  fort,  manv  balls  from  which  dashed  the  spray  over  those  on  board, 
though  no  loss  of  life  ensued.  The  British  Ensign  was  dipped  as  each 
shot  went  singing  by,  and  the  yacht  proceeded  to  Barbados. 

This  was  the  first  of  Tyhurnia's  adventures  as  a 
yacht,  but  it  was  by  no  means  the  last.  She  had 
several  well-known  people  amongst  her  passengers, 
but  her  cargo  could  hardly  have  been  profitable,  for 
she  had  a  store  of  knives,  mirrors,  and  other  trifles, 
which  would  have  been  quite  suitable  in  the  trade  room 
of  a  South  Sea  islander  but  were  hardly  the  right  thing 
for  the  West  Indies.  Indeed,  the  qucerness  of  her 
cargo  caused  her  further  trouble  in  New  York,  where 
she  was  detained  under  suspicion  of  being  a  smuggler 
or  something  of  the  kind. 

The  Tyhurnia  ended  her  days  in  Australian  hands, 
timber-drogluung  until  the  late  eighties,  when  she  went 
to  Townsville,  Queensland,  and  was  converted  into  a 
transhinment  hulk. 


266  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

The  Old  ♦♦Holmsdale." 

One  of  the  best  known  of  the  Blackwall  frigates 
in  the  Australian  trade  was  the  old  Holmsdale.  This 
gallant  old  ship  was  launched  from  J.  Reed's  yard  at 
Sunderland  and  sailed  the  seas  for  just  on  forty  years. 
She  measured  1250  tons,  206.8  ft.  long,  37.7  ft.  beam, 
22.4  ft.  depth,  with  a  poop  73  ft.  long;  one  of  the 
finest  specimens  of  the  wooden  passenger  ship. 

Her  early  years  were  spent  in  the  Indian  and  China 
trades,  when  she  was  owned  by  Phillipps  &  Co.  In 
the  early  seventies  she  was  bought  by  Bilbe,  and  from 
that  date  became  an  Orient  liner,  her  usual  voyage 
being  out  to  Adelaide  and  home  from  Melbourne. 
Her  best  known  captains  were  D.  Reed  and  Daniel  R. 
Bolt  ;  her  passages,  without  being  anything  out  of  the 
way,  were  always  very  regular,  one  of  her  best  being 
83  days  from  Melbourne  to  London  in  1874-5.  The 
abstract  log  in  the  Appendix  will  give  a  very  good 
idea  of  her  capabilities.  She  was  eventually  sold  by 
the  Andersons  to  the  Norwegians  and  went  on  the 
missing  list  in  1897. 

A  Cargo  of  the  "Lincolnshire." 

The  following  cargo  of  the  Lincolnshire  may  be 
of  interest  as  showing  the  usual  homeward  cargo  of  a 
1000-ton  Blackwaller  from  Australia. 

On  10th  November,  1864,  she  left  Melbourne  under 
Captain  H.  Shimer  with  2000  bales  of  wool,  125  casks  of 
tallow,  115  quarter  cases  of  whisky,  30  tons  of  case  goods, 
9800  ounces  of  gold  dust,  and  130  passengers. 

She  had  141  tons  of  kentledge  and  150  tons  of  stone 
ballast,  levelled  with  tallow  stowed  loreward,  spirits 
aft  and  the  wool  dumped  and  screwed  the  whole  length 
of  the  hold. 


LINCELLES   AND    LADY   MELVILLE      267 

She  sailed  drawing  16  ft.  9  in.  forward  and  17  ft.  2  in. 
aft  and  arrived  in  London  on  25th  January,  1865, 
draw'ing  16  ft.  10  in.  forward  and  16  ft.  9  in.  aft. 

This  fine  ship  was  sold  by  Vvigram  in  1880  and 
wrecked  three  years  later. 

The  Coolie  Ship  "Lincelles." 

At  the  death  of  Duncan  Dunbar  the  Moulmein- 
built  Lincelles  was  sold  to  S.  H.  Allen,  of  London,  and 
became  one  of  Allen's  coolie  ships,  which  transported 
coolies  from  India  to  Mauritius.  Allen  sold  her  in  the 
late  eighties  to  Genoese  owners,  but  the  splendid  old 
ship  did  not  disappear  from  the  Register  until  1906-7. 

The  "Lady  Melville"  and  the  Great 
Comet  of  1861. 

Green's  Blackwall  Line  only  contained  four  ships 
which  had  not  been  built  in  the  Blackwall  Yard  or  by 
Pile  at  Sunderland. 

Two  of  these  were  the  large  Boston-built,  soft-wood 
ships.  Result,  of  1565  tons,  launched  in  1853,  and  the 
Swiftsure,  of  1826  tons,  launched  in  1854.  These 
ships  were  ordered  at  the  height  of  the  Australian 
boom,  and  were  intended  to  carry  a  large  number  of 
emigrants  to  Melbourne. 

Some  years  ago  a  rumour  got  about  that  the  Result 
was  really  the  famous  American  clipper  Challenge. 
Another  rumour  was  that  she  was  the  prize  won  by  the 
Greens  when  their  Challenger  beat  the  Challenge  in  a 
specially  arranged  race  home  from  China.  Neither  of 
these  rumours  had  any  foundation,  and  the  Result,  like 
the  Sivifisure,  had  been  bought  by  Green  owing  to  the 
grow'ing  demand  for  large  emigrant  ships. 

The    Result   was   burnt    in   Hobson's   Bay    in    1866. 


268  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

The  Swiftsurs  was  sold  to  Newcastle  owners  and  was 
eventually  wrecked  at  Tripola  in  1884. 

The  third  ship  belonging  to  the  Greens,  which  could 
not  strictly  be  called  a  Blackwall  frigate,  was  the 
Orwell,  of  1079  tons,  built  at  Harwich  in  1854.  This 
ship  was  also  put  in  the  Australian  trade.  Her  last 
owner  was  Goodwin  of  Ardrossan,  and  she  went  missing 
in  1873  when  on  a  West  Indian  voyage. 

The  fourth  ship  was  the  Lady  Melville,  of  967  tons, 
built  by  Haswell,  of  Sunderland.  This  ship  was 
frigate-built  and  Greens  kept  her  in  their  Indian 
service  except  during  the  heiglit  of  the  gold  boom. 

The  Lady  Melville  was  a  steady  going  11 -knot  ship 
with  no  very  fast  passages  to  her  credit.  I  have  a  copy 
of  her  1861  log,  when  she  went  from  the  Scillies  to  the 
Sandheads  in  119  days  and  came  home  from  Calcutta  in 
124  days. 

During  her  passage  home  the  great  comet  of  18G1 
appeared  and  the  following  notices  of  it  in  her  log  may 
be  of  interest. 

2nd  July.— Lat.  27'  14'  N.,  long  43°  40'  W.     Distance  112  miles 
Wind  N.E.  light.        10  p.m..  a  large  comet  observed  stretching  across 
two-thirds  of  the  sky,  bearing  N.  by  W.  J  W. 

3rd  July.— Lat.  29°  45'  N.,  long.  4.5°  12'  W.  Distance  178  miles. 
Light  to  fresh  N.E.  breeze.  8  p.m.,  comet  bearing  N.  by  W.  ^  W 
Altitude  22'  36'. 

4th  July.— Lat.  32°  32'  N.,  long.  45°  31'  W.  Distance  163  miles. 
Moderate  N.E.  breeze.  Fore  aud  mizen  royals  in.  8  p.m.,  comet, 
bearing  N.  by  W.      Altitude  32°  2'. 

5th  July.— Lat.  34°  10'  N.,  45*  2'  W.  Light  E.5.E.  wind.  &  p.m., 
comet  bearing  N.  by  W.     Altitude  40°. 

This  was  a  most  remarkable  comet;  its  tail  was  fan 
shaped  with  six  di.stinct  streamers,  the  outer  of  which 
apparently  covered  120",  and  the  earth  was  immersed 
in  the  material  of  its  wonderful  tail  to  the  depth  of 


HOLMSDALE. 


YORKSHIRE." 


Photon  lent  by  F   Cl.Luyton. 


( To  face  Page  26 


LADY  MELVILLE  2C9 

800,000  miles.  Its  period  was  reckoned  to  be  400 
years. 

On  14th  July,  lat.  45°  N.,  long.  38°  57' W.,  with  light 
easterly  airs  and  calms,  the  Lady  Melville  had  38  sail  in 
sight  from  the  deck,  and  for  the  next  two  days  her 
midshipmen  were  kept  busy  with  the  signal  halliards. 

The  Lady  Melville  was  sold  by  the  Greens  to  King, 
Watson  &  Co.,  of  Calcutta,  and  became  a  country  ship. 
The  well-known  Aga  Said  Abdul  Hoosein,  of  Moulmein, 
had  her  during  the  seventies,  and  on  his  death  in  1880 
she  was  sold  to  the  Norwegians.  She  brought  home  a 
cargo  of  teak  and  on  her  arrival  in  Norway  was  renamed 
A7ma.  She  was  still  afloat  in  the  late  eighties,  when 
she  was  converted  into  a  hulk. 

The  "Yorkshire's'*  Madman. 

The  illustration  of  the  Yorkshire  is  one  of  the 
best  photographs  of  a  Blackwall  frigate  that  I  have 
ever  seen.  It  tells  one  more  about  the  ship  than  any 
word  description.  In  her  we  see  the  last  development 
of  the  first-class  wooden  passenger  ship. 

The  advertisements  of  the  day  were  fond  of  describing 
such  ships  as  clippers;  they  were  by  no  means  clippers 
as  far  as  their  ends  Avere  concerned,  but  they  had  a 
certain  amount  of  dead-rise  and  sweet  enough  lines,  so 
that  they  were  far  from  being  slow  in  light  and  moderate 
winds  where  they  easily  had  the  legs  of  the  later  iron 
clippers. 

There  have  been  many  cases  aboard  ship  of  either  a 
passenger  or  one  of  the  crew  going  suddenly  mad  and 
starting  a  short  but  exciting  reign  of  terror.  Sometimes 
the  madman  went  aloft  with  an  axe  and  defied  capture 
for  hours  and  often  days;  at  other  times  he  ran  amok 
on  deck  and  often  ended  up  by  leaping  overboard, 


270  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

The  Yorkshire,  on  one  of  her  passages  to  Melbourne, 
had  a  case  of  this  kind.  Amongst  her  crew  was  a  man 
half -Irish,  half -Italian,  who  suffered  horribly  from 
chronic  neuralgia.  When  in  pain,  he  would  sit 
holding  his  head  in  both  hands  and  glaring  madly 
around.  To  anyone  who  approached  him  he  had 
but  one  remark  to  make: — "Don't  pity  me!  Don't 
pity  me  !"  In  vain  the  ship's  surgeon  tried  to  ease 
his  suffering.  A  day  came  at  last  when  all  the 
passengers  were  on  deck  rejoicing  in  the  fine  weather. 
Suddenly  the  neuralgia  victim  appeared  on  the 
poop,  brandishing  a  knife  in  one  hand  and  a  Bible  in 
the  other  and  with  madness  in  his  eye. 

The  captain  and  the  surgeon  tried  their  best  to  coax 
him  away  from  this  sacred  part  of  the  deck  and  the 
terrified  lady  passengers,  but  to  no  purpose.  The 
madman  insisted  on  delivering  a  sermon  on  all  the 
Sorrow  and  pain  in  the  world,  and  offered  to  stab  all 
and  sundry  to  the  heart  and  so  put  them  out  of  their 
misery.  The  sermon  ended,  he  discarded  the  Bible 
and  waving  his  knife  over  his  head,  proceeded  to  dance 
a  jig  to  the  further  terror  of  the  ladies,  who  by  this  time 
were  mostly  in  hysterics. 

The  mate,  however,  succeeded  in  creeping  up  behind 
him,  while  his  attention  was  engaged  by  the  surgeon, 
and  dropped  a  running  bowline  over  his  head  and 
shoulders.  The  madman  was  then  confined,  and  on 
arrival  at  Melbourne  sent  to  an  asylum  where  he  very 
soon  died. 

A  Tragedy  of  Sea-sickness. 

Very  few  passengers  on  sailing  ships  failed  to 
conquer  their  sea-sickness  after  the  first  few  days, 
but  there  were  occasional  I  v   one  or  two   unfortunates 


A    SHARK   STORY  271 

whom  neither  time   nor   smooth   water  could   cure  of 
this  distressing  malady. 

One  such  lady  passenger  on  the  Yorkshire,  after  being 
ill  through  a  ninety-day  passage,  was  so  weak  when  the 
ship  arrived  in  Ilobson's  Bay  that  she  had  to  be  carried 
on  deck.  Her  husband,  who  happened  to  be  the 
commander  of  a  large  steamship  in  port,  came  on  board 
to  greet  her  and  take  her  ashore,  but  before  they  had 
been  able  to  speak  a  word  to  each  other  she  fell  back  in 
his  arms  in  a  state  of  collapse  and  died. 

A  Shark  Story. 

One  could  fill  page  after  page  with  the  sudden  and 
extraordinary  tragedies  of  the  old  shipboard  life  in 
sailing  ship  days — of  death  in  so  many  and  ghastly 
ways,  and  there  are  few  more  impressive  sights  than 
a  burial  at  sea.  But  there  is  always  one  anxietv 
connected  with  a  burial  at  sea  which  is  absent  from 
the  shore  ceremony,  and  that  is  that,  for  some  reason 
or  other,  the  body  may  not  sink.  Whether  the  war- like 
32-pounder  shot  or  the  more  humble  fire-bars  are  used, 
there  is  always  the  dread  that  the  weights  may  break 
adrift  and  the  body  bob  up  instead  of  sinking.  When 
this  dread  is  fulfilled,  the  superstitious  foretell  the  doom 
of  the  ship  and  crew,  and  back  their  assertions  with 
yarns  of  bodies  following  ships  with  raised  and  pointing 
arms  or  with  sinister  and  accusing  eyes,  that  bring 
disaster  upon  all  concerned. 

But  the  following  tragedy  which  occurred  on  tlie 
Yorkshire  when  north  of  the  line  homeward  bound 
has  a  peculiar  horror  of  its  own. 

There  was  a  little  boy  on  board,  about  five  years  old, 
the  child  of  two  of  the  second  cabin  passengers.  This 
boy  was  the  pet  of  both  passengers  and  crew.      One  day 


272  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

he  was  taken  suddenly  ill  and  within  forty -eight  hours 
was  dead.  This  was  far  from  beinor  an  occasion  for  a 
callous  sailmaker,  who  would  finish  his  gruesome  job 
by  a  stitch  through  the  corpse's  nose.  Instead  the 
carpenter  went  to  work  and  made  a  small  wooden  box, 
which  he  pierced  with  holes  so  that  the  water  might  get 
in  and  allow  it  to  sink;  and  in  this  box  the  tiny  body 
was  placed. 

The  burial  service  was  trying  enough,  with  tears  in 
every  eye,  but  when  at  the  usual  signal  the  box  was 
launched  overboard,  to  the  horror  of  the  assembled 
ship's  company  it  refused  to  sink. 

A  large  shark  had  been  following  the  ship  from  the 
moment  the  boy  had  been  taken  ill,  with  that  uncanny 
knowledge  which  sharks  seem  to  possess,  and,  on  seeing 
the  floating  box,  it  at  once  swam  down  upon  it.  Then 
tearing  it  open,  the  brute  dragged  out  the  child's  body 
and  devoured  it  before  the  eyes  of  every  one  on  board. 

The  wretched  mother,  with  maddened  screams,  tried 
her  best  to  jump  overboard  and  share  the  fate  of  her 
child's  body,  but  was  held  back  by  her  trembling 
husband,  who  was  almost  as  distracted  as  herself. 
For  some  time  after  this  the  woman  was  off  her  head, 
whilst  a  deep  gloom  was  cast  over  the  ship. 

"Renown"    and    "Malabar." 

Two  fine  1200-ton  ships  were  launched  for 
Green's  Blackwall  Line  in  May,  1860,  the  Renown  from 
the  Blackwall  Yard  and  the  Malabar  from  Pile's  Yard 
at  Sunderland. 

Benown  was  mostly  in  their  Australian  trade,  but 
Malabar  was  a  favourite  trooper  at  one  time  and  in 
1867  came  home  from  the  Bay  of  Bengal  to  Dover  in 
89  days.       The  difference  in  their  measurements  may 


PASSAGES  TO   MELBOURNE 


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274 


THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 


be  of  interest.  Renown  1203  tons,  216.6  ft.  length, 
37.5  ft.  beam,  22.7  ft.  depth;  Malabar  1219  tons, 
207.2  ft.  length.  3G  ft.  6  ins.  beam.  22.5  ft.  depth. 
Malabar  was  sold  to  Foley,  of  London,  in  1878;  and 
Renown  to  Bremen  owners  in  1882,  being  wreeked  a  few 
years  later. 

Blackwallers  of  1861. 

Five  very  fine  frigate -built  ships  were  turned  out 
in  1861  and  a  comparison  of  their  measurements  may  be 
of  interest. 


Ship 

Tons 

Length     Beam 

Depth 

Remarks 

Highflyer 
Star  of  India 
True  Briton   . . 
Middlesex 
St.  Lawrence 

1012 
1045 
1040 
1191 
1094 

193.7 

190.4 

19S 

203 

180 

35.5 

34.2 

32.4 

36 

37 

20 
22.1 
20.8 
22.6 
22.5 

poop  42  feet 

poop  76  feet 
poop  72  feet 

The  Highflyer^  though  frigate-built,  was  given 
extra  fine  lines  and  put  into  the  tea  trade  under  the 
celebrated  Captain  Anthony  Enright,  but  she  was  not 
really  fast  enough,  and  after  a  few  passages  averaging 
about  130  days  from  Shanghai  she  dropped  out  of  the 
competition  for  the  first  teas.  She  was  sold  to  H. 
Ramien,  of  Elsfleth,  in  the  late  seventies  and  abandoned 
at  sea  about  1898. 

Star  of  India  after  a  long  career  as  a  first  class  passenger 
ship  in  the  Indian  and  Australian  trades  also  went  to 
the  Norwegians  and  was  abandoned  in  the  N.  .Atlantic, 
timber  laden  in  1S93. 

True  Briton,  the  last  of  that  historic  name,  was  sold 
about  1880  to  W.  J.  Smith,  of  London,  and  ended  her 
days  as  a  coal  hulk. 

Middlesex  was  still  under  Marsliall's  flag  in  1880, 
but  in  1884  she  was  replaced  by  a  fine  iron  ship  of  1742 
tons,  built  by  Barclay,  Curie, 


THE   ST.    LAWRENCE  275 

•*St.   Lawrence." 

Si.  Lavcrence,  the  last  of  Smith's  fleet,  was 
considered  the  finest  and  latest  thing  in  wooden  passenger 
construction.  She  had  so  much  rise  of  floor  that 
she  required  60  tons  of  ballast  to  keep  her  upright. 
She  was  ver}''  short  and  beamy  when  compared  to  the 
other  ships  of  her  year,  but  was  a  very  fine,  sea  boat, 
dry  and  yet  easy  in  her  movements.  In  point  of  speed 
she  was  not  equal  to  the  later  ships  of  Green  and  Wigram, 
and  but  little  if  anything  superior  to  the  Hotspur. 
But  she  was  a  beautiful  ship  in  every  way,  and  well 
upheld  the  reputation  of  the  Blackwall  frigates. 

The  following  extracts  from  her  logs  will  give  a  good 
idea  of  a  Blackwaller's  work  in  the  last  days  of  the 
Calcutta  troop  and  passenger  carrying  sailing  ships  : — 

ST.  LAWRENCE— LONDON  TO  CALCUTTA.  1866.  i 

14th  July. — Hauled  out  of  East  India  Dock  and  proceeded  to 
Gravesend. 

18th  July.— Proceeding  do\%-n  Channel.  Moderate  W.ly  breeze  and 
fine. 

23rd  July. — N.W.ly  airs  and  fine.  Cape  Finisterre  on  port  beam. 
More  than  50  sail  in  sight  from  deck.  Lowered  jolly-boat  and  boarded 
Drogheda,  from  Shields  to  Alexandria. 

28th  July. — N.E.  by  E.  moderate.   Madeira  abeam.  Distance  8  miles. 

21st  Augu.st. —  l(i°  S.,  31°  33'  W.,  run  236.      Theatricals  in  cuddy. 

18th  to  27th  August. — From  o'^  -19'  S.  to  32"  35'  S.;  runs  230,  235, 
245,  236,  233,  226,  233,  2i4,  20i,  and  203. 

18th  September.— 40°  39'  S.,  53^  10'  E.;  run  275.  Fresh  gale  with 
hard  gusts. 

22nd  October. — Anchored  off  floating  Lightship. 

23rd  October. — Pilot  came  aboard,  made  sail  and  stood  up. 
(94-day   passage.) 

CALCUTTA  TO  LONDON,   1867. 

18th  January. — Hauled  out  and  dropped  down  to  Garden  Reach. 

21st. — Dropped  pilot,  made  sail  to  hght  S.W.ly  breeze. 

11th  February. — 24°  5'  S.,  3°  14'  E.;  run  237.  Fresh  breeze  and  fine. 
Signalled  Winchester  off  Cape  Recife.  1  p.m.,  Wtnckater  in  sight  on 
starboard  bow. 


276  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

12th  February  .—Run  214.  Winchester  (with  right  wing  ot  98th  Regt. 
on  board  spoken  (lost  9  children  from  measles).      P.M..  WtHchestcra.steTa. 

13th  February.— Run  209.  Squally.  Winchsster  half  courses 
down  astern. 

I4th  February. — Came  to  anchor  off  St.  Helena.  Winchester 
anchored  8  a.m.  next  morning. 

16th  February. — 1  p.m.,  hove  up,  made  all  plain  sail a-ad all stunsails, 
both  sides  at  the  main.     {Winchester  left  St.  Helena  10  p.m.  on  15th.) 

28th  March. — 1°  47'  N.,  22°  15'  W.;  run  21.  Calm,  constantly 
trimming  sail  to  catspaws.  Three  sail  in  sight,  one  of  them  Wt)ichester; 
signalled  British  ship  Talavera  from  Calcutta  to  London,  72  days  out. 

29th  March. — Run  29.  Light  variable  airs.  Talavera  on  starboard 
quarter.       Winchester  right  astern. 

5th  April.— 13°  28'  N.,  33°  26'  W.,  run  183.  N.E.  by  E.,  fresh  and 
puffy.     Sails  covered  with  a  fine  red  sand. 

8th  April.— Run  179.  N.E.ly  fresh.  Signalled  British  ship 
Jehangeer,  Foochow  to  London,  89  days  out. 

10th  April.— Run  148.     E.N.E.  fresh.     Jehangeer  astern. 

16th  April. — Shift  of  wind  from  N.N.W.  Taken  flat  ab^ck.  Top- 
mast and  lower  stunsails  went  to  ribbons.  Main  and  mizen  topmast 
staysails  split. 

20th  April. — Lizard  distant  700  miles. 

On  this  passage  the  St.  Lawrence  had  one  wing  of  the 
98th  Regiment  oucl  the  Winchester  the  other.  The  two 
ships  left  Calcutta  together  and  reached  Spithead  almost 
simultaneously. 

LONDON  TO  CALCUTTA,   1807. 

15th  July. — Hauled  out  of  East  India  Docks. 

17th  August.— 00°  35'  N.,  26'  17'  W.;  run  196.  S.Ely,  pufly. 
Signalled  Flying  Venus,  Liverpool  to  Bombay,  27  days  out. 

ISth  to  23rd  August. — Flying  Venus  in  company. 

nth  September. — Run  253.  Strong  and  heavy  gusts,  VV.S.W.Iy. 
Found  28  ducks  and  G  geese  drowned.  At  daylight  found  part  of  port 
hammock  nettings  washed  away  and  several  bales  of  cargo  damaged 
from  deck  leaks 

CALCUTTA  TO  LONDON,  1863. 

1st  January. — Pilot  left  us  at  Sandheads. 

9th  February. — .\nchored  in  Table  Bay,  40  days  out. 

23rd  February. — Anchored  off  St.  Helena. 

6th  April. — Start.     N.  45'  E.     80  niiles. 


THE   ST.   LAWRENCE  277 

LONDON  TO  CALCUTTA,   1868. 

2Sth  July.— Pilot  left  ship.     Start  bore  N.N.E.     Fresh  N.W.  gale. 
25th  August.— Crossed  the  line  in  19°  W. 

31st  October.— Took  tug  to  Calcutta.  The  passage  was  spoilt  by 
20  days  of  calms  from  3°  N.  to  Sandheads. 

CALCUTTA  TO  LONDON.   1869. 

19th  February.— Dropped  pilot  and  made  sail. 

18th  to  21st  March.— On  edge  of  cyclone. 

21st  March.— 28°  21'  S..  S.  2°  12'  E.,  run  288.      E.  and  E.N.E.  gale. 

30th  May. — 4  p.m.,  sighted  land  abeam.       10  p.m.,  Start  light. 

LONDON  TO  CALCUTTA,   18G9. 

27th  August. — Cast  off  and  made  sail. 
30th  August.— Start  bore  E.  f  N.  14  miles. 
23rd  September.- Crossed  the  line  in  29°  35'  W. 
25th  November. — Tug  took  hold. 

27th  November. — Made  ship  fast  No.  1.  Esplanade  moorings. 
(89  days.      Best  run  297.) 

CALCUTTA  TO  LONDON,   1870. 

21st  January. — S  p.m.,  cast  off  tug  and  made  all  plain  sail  to  a  light 
N.E.  breeze. 

11th  March. — Anchored  St.  Helena. 

10th  May. — Noon,  Lizard  18  miles.  About  200  sail  in  sight  in- 
cluding Anglesey,  Newcastle,  Alnwick  Castle.  Shannon,  Middlesex , 
Durham,  Alumbagh,  Wave  of  Life,  Jerusalem,  Maid  of  Judah  and 
Orierd.  The  City  of  Glasgow  and  Golden  Fleece,  which  were  in  company 
north  of  the  line,  arrived  about  three  weeks  before  us,  having  gone  inside 
the  Western  Isles. 

By  the  time  that  the  Suez  Canal  had  been  opened  a 
couple  of  years,  it  was  perceived  by  the  owners  of  the 
Blackwall  frigates  that  their  days  in  the  Calcutta 
passenger  trade  were  numbered.  Messrs.  Smith  sold 
their  ships  and  went  in  for  steam. 

The  St.  Lawrence  was  afloat  well  into  the  eighties, 
running  between  Puget  Sound  and  Sydney  with  lumber, 
her  square  ports  filled  in,  and  her  cabins  turned  into 
store-rooms. 


S7S  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

••Shannon"  and  the  "Lord  Warden." 

In  May,  1862,  two  1200-ton  ships  were  again 
launched  for  Green's  Blackwall  Line,  the  Shannon 
from  the  Blackwall  Yard  and  the  Lord  Warden  from 
Pile's  Yard  at  Sunderland.  The  Lord  Warden  was  all 
wood,  but  Shannon  had  iron  beams.  Whilst  the 
Shannon  was  being  built,  Highflyer,  on  her  maiden  trip 
to  Sydney,  put  back  having  lost  her  rudder.  It  was 
of  the  greatest  importance  that  tea  ships  should  get  out 
to  China  in  time  to  load  the  new  teas  of  the  season,  so 
there  v/as  no  time  to  make  a  new  rudder,  and  Greens 
solved  the  difficulty  by  unshipping  the  rudder  from 
their  new  ship  and  fitting  it  on  Highflyer;  thus  High- 
flyer sailed  the  seas  with  Shannon^ s  rudder  on  her 
sternpost. 

The  Shannon  was  a  smart  ship  and  once  did  the  round 
voyage  to  Melbourne,  including  time  in  port,  in  5 
months  27  days.  She  ran  steadily  to  Melbourne  until 
Greens  sold  her  in  May,  1883,  to  J.  C.  Ellis,  of  Sydney, 
N.S.W.,  and  as  late  as  1879  she  arrived  in  Hobson's 
Bay  on  12th  January,  77  days  out  from  the  Downs. 

The  Lord  Warden  started  life  in  the  Calcutta  passenger 
trade,  but  was  afterwards  transferred  to  Green's 
Melbourne  service.  She  also  made  some  fine  passages 
of  under  SO  days  outward,  and  as  late  as  1881  she 
arrived  out  on  3rd  October,  79  days  from  Prawle  Point. 

Greens  sold  her  in  188  I  to  Ossoinak,  of  P'lume,  and 
she  foundered  four  years  later. 

An  Apprentice's  Joke. 

With  regard  to  the  Shannon,  an  amusing  fraud 
was  perpetrated  by  some  British  windjammer  apprentices 
in  1887.  The  Shannon  was  taking  in  a  cargo  of  lumber 
at  Vancouver.       On  Jubilee  Day,  these  young  rascals 


•'  TRUE  BRITON." 
From  a  Paintino  by  Captain  Clayton. 


"  ST.  LAWRENCE." 


[To  face  Page  278. 


THE   TWO    ESSEX'S  279 

spread  the  report  that  the  old  Blackwaller  was  the 
original  Shannon  which  had  fought  the  Chesapeake; 
the  old  ship  with  her  rather  seaworn  appearance  and 
painted  ports  looked  quite  the  part  to  the  unsuspecting 
landsmen,  and  thf  apprentices  were  soon  busy  showing 
a  number  of  people  over  her. 

•  Many  of  these  visitors  were  much  impressed  and 
showed  it  by  tipping  the  boys  handsomely,  whilst  one 
of  tlieni  remarked  sagely  that  she  was  the  finest  specimen 
of  a  wooden  warship  he  had  ever  seen.  Thus  the 
fraud  passed  off  without  being  detected.  In  the 
following  year  the  Shannon  sprang  a  leak  when  bound 
from  Newcastle,  N.S.W.,  to  Wellington,  and  putting 
into  Papeete  was  condemned  there. 

The  two  "Essex's." 

The  Counties  of  England  have  always  been 
favourite  names  for  ships,  and  this  has  over  and  again 
caused  confusion.  Thus  both  AVigram's  and  Marshall's 
ships  were  counties,  and  in  1862  Wigram  launched  a 
1000-ton  ship  at  Blackwall  which  he  called  the  Essex, 
whilst  in  1863  Marshall  launched  a  1200-ton  Essex 
from  his  yard  at  Sunderland. 

Wigram 's  ship  was  built  of  wood  throughout,  but 
Marshall's  ship  had  iron  beams,  The  latter  dis- 
appeared before  the  eighties,  at  which  date  Wigram 's 
Essex  was  owned  by  C.  B.  Walker,  of  Gloucester;  she 
afterwards  became  a  coal  hulk. 

It  was  on  Wigram 's  Essex  that  Commander  Crutchley 
made  a  trip  home  before  the  mast  in  a  foc's'le  full  of 
men  holding  Board  of  Trade  certificates.  This  was  one 
of  the  smartest  crews  a  ship  ever  had,  but  one  which  it 
was  not  wise  to  mishandle  or  humbug  about.  They 
soon  taught  Commander  Crutchley  how  to  spit  Lirown 


280  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

and  carry  on  according  to  "Blackwall  fashion";  and 
one  of  them,  who  was  working  his  passage  home  in  order 
to  buy  a  ship  of  his  own,  afterwards  offered  Crutchley  a 
second  mate's  job. 

The  third  mate  was  unpopular  with  these  experienced 
shellbacks,  and  they  showed  it  in  a  most  significant 
and  disconcerting  way — they  refused  to  sing  out  on  a 
rope  and  hauled  in  silence;  at  last  Captain  Attwood,  a 
Blackwaller  of  the  old  style,  who  had  the  dignity  of  his 
officers  at  heart,  was  obliged  to  interfere  and  caution 
his  officer  to  show  more  tact  with  his  crowd. 

I  remember  reading  of  one  other  case  of  such  a  crew. 
This  lot  were  in  an  Aberdeen  barque,  and  made 
a  practice  of  bringing  their  sextants  on  deck  before 
8  bells  and  shooting  the  sun,  to  the  astonishment  and 
scandalisation  of  their  officers. 

Captain  Attwood  had  a  chief  officer  who  was  extremely 
popular  with  all  hands,  but  who  was  of  an  unusual  type 
even  for  a  Blackwaller,  for  he  carried  his  own  valet  with 
him.  This,  however,  must  have  had  its  effect  on 
the  tone  of  the  ship,  which  was  noted  for  that  "grand 
manner  "  peculiar  to  these  aristocrats  of  the  sea. 

♦»  The  Last  of  the  Dunbars." 

The  Dunbar  Castle  was  ordered  just  before 
Duncan  Dunbar  died,  and  was  one  of  his  ships  acquired 
by  Devitt  &  Moore,  who  put  her  into  the  Sydney  trade, 
where  she  was  always  known  as  the  "  Last  of  the  Dunbars." 
Her  best  known  commander  was  David  B.  Carvosso,  a 
martinet  of  the  old  style,  a  splendid  seaman  and  one  of 
the  most  successful  shipmasters  in  the  Australian  trade. 
I\Iany  queer  things  happen  at  sea,  but  few  of  them 
have  surpassed  the  women's  mutiny  on  the  Dunbar 
Castle  for  quaintness.      She  was  taking  out  emigrants  to 


THE  DUNBAR   CASTLE    MCTINY         281 

Sydney,  consisting  of  10  married  couples  and  90  single 
girls.  One  evening  towards  the  end  of  the  second 
dog  watch  a  tremendous  huliaballoo  broke  out  below, 
and  the  girls'  matron  presently  came  chasing  up  on 
deck  in  a  state  of  panic ;  she  was  followed  a  few  moments 
later  by  the  ship's  medico,  a  nervous  little  man  who 
narrowly  escaped  having  all  the  clothes  torn  off  him. 

Captain  Carvosso  was  then  compelled  to  take  a  hand. 
At  the  foot  of  the  hatchway  he  was  met  by  a  strapping 
North-Country  girl,  who.,  stripped  to  the  waist  and  with 
fists  clenched,  stood  like  a  boxer  ready  for  battle.  But 
the  little  captain  had  an  impressive  personality,  and 
with  his  reef-topsail  voice  soon  succeeded  in  silencing 
the  furious  mob  of  women 

"What  the  devil  next?"  he  roared.  It  was  his  pet 
expression,  and  when  they  heard  it,  those  who  knew 
him  prepared  to  stand  from  under.  He  threatened 
to  turn  the  hose  on  the  girls  unless  they  went  to 
their  bunks  at  once,  and  knowing  only  too  well  that 
he  would  be  as  good  as  his  word  they  quieted  down 
and  this  women's  mutiny  was  quelled. 

This  story  is  told  by  Captain  W.  G.  Browning  in  the 
Nautical  Magazine.  He  also  states  that  the  Dunbar 
Castle  was  one  of  the  last  ships  to  carry  a  single  topsail. 
The  Dunbar  Castle  was  converted  to  a  barque  in  ISSO, 
and  a  few  years  later  was  sold  to  Bremen  owners,  who 
renamed  her  Singapore;  she  belonged  to  Rostock  in 
1900,  but  about  1901  was  converted  into  a  coal  hulk. 

Devitt  &  Moore's  "Parramatta." 

The  fastest  of  all  the  Blackwall  frigates,  with  the 
exception  of  The  Ticeed,  which  was  in  a  class  by  herself, 
was  probably  the  splendid  old  Parramatta.  She 
was  also  one  of  the  largest,  measuring  1521  tons,  231  ft. 


282  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

length,  38.2  ft.  beam  and  22.8  ft.  depth.  She  had  the 
usual  passenger  ship's  length  of  poop,  but  in  her  case  it 
was  so  low  that  it  was  called  a  raised  quarter-deck,  and 
it  extended  as  far  forward  as  the  mainmast. 

Under  Captain  J.  Swanson,  who  had  her  until  1874, 
and  Captain  Goddard,  who  commanded  her  for  the  rest 
of  her  existence  under  the  British  flag,  she  was  a  very 
favourite  passenger  ship  to  Australia  and  the  La 
Ilogue's  great  rival  in  the  Sydney  trade. 

She  usually  left  London  about  the  beginning  of 
September,  calling  at  Plymouth  for  her  passengers,  and 
was  seldom  much  over  the  80  days  to  Port  Jackson. 

In  her  earlier  days,  before  she  took  to  coming  home 
round  the  Cape  and  calling  at  St.  Helena,  which  was 
by  far  the  most  popular  route  with  passengers,  »he 
made  some  very  fine  homeward  passages  round  the 
Horn. 

In  1876  she  left  Sydney  on  1st  February,  and  arrived 
home  79  days  out.  This  fine  passage  she  equalled  in 
1879,  when  she  left  Sydney  on  5th  February  and  arrived 
at  Plymouth  on  2Gth  April,  only  21  days  from  the 
equator. 

Parramatta  was  sold  to  J.  Simonsen  in  1888,  and  was 
still  afloat  ten  years  later  under  Norwegian  colours. 

The  Iron  Blackvvaller  "Superb." 

Dicky  Green  was  a  lover  of  teak  and  Biitish  oak, 
and  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  such  a  material 
as  iron  in  shipbuilding,  and  until  his  death  in  1863 
there  was  no  chance  of  the  Blaekwall  Yard  building  an 
iron  ship;  but  his  death  removed  all  opposition, 
and  the  firm  were  not  long  before  they  laid  down  their 
first  iron  ship. 

This  wai  the  Supah,  launched  iu  ISoG,  aad  lur  many 


ALUMBAGH." 


••  ESSEX. 


Phoiolenl  by  F.  ^.  Layton 


[To  face  Page  282. 


THE   SUPERB  2S3 

years  a  favourite  passenger  ship  to  Melbourne.  She 
usually  sailed  from  Gravesend  at  the  beginning  of  the 
summer  and  left  Melbourne  homeward  bound  at  the  end 
of  the  year. 

She  measured  1451  tons,  230.3  ft.  length,  37.9  ft. 
beam,  23.1  ft.  depth,  with  a  poop  77  feet  long  and 
foc's'le  45  ft.  long.  Superb  had  a  number  of  fine 
passages  to  her  credit,  one  of  the  last  of  which  was  74 
days  to  Melbourne  in  188G.  In  1881  she  arrived  76 
days  out,  and  in  1878  79  days  out.  In  1883  instead 
of  coming  home  as  usual  from  Melbourne,  she  crossed 
to  Frisco  from  Newcastle,  N.S.W.,  in  51  days;  and 
leaving  Frisco  on  7th  December  arrived  Queenstown 
20th  April,  134  days  out. 

A  Passenger's  Log. 

I  have  a  passenger's  log,  kept  on  the  Superb,  on 
the  passage  home  round  the  Horn  from  Melbourne  in 
1882.  She  was  then  commanded  by  Captain  Berridge, 
who  had  his  wife  aboard;  there  were  12  first-class 
passengers  and  a  ship's  company  of  55,  including  4  mates, 
9  midshipmen,  3  quartermasters,  usual  petty  officers, 
engineer,  24  A.B.'s,  3  O.S.'s,  and  5  boys.  A  few 
extracts  from  this  log  may  be  of  interest.  The  writer 
was  a  young  Australian  making  his  first  visit  home; 
his  log  is  very  neatly  written  in  a  copper-plate  hand 
and  embellished  with  the  ship's  house-flag,  commercial 
code  and  national  flags  in  colours. 

14th  September.  18S2. — Left  Sandiidge  Railway  Pier  at  \  o'clock 
and  anchored  in  the  Bay.      Ship  drawing  20  feet  forward,  22^  feet  aft. 

16th  September. — When  I  awoke  this  morning  we  were  in  tow  for 
sea  by  the  Williams.  Passed  through  Port  Philhp  Heads  at  12  o'clock 
noon.  The  pilot  left  shortly  after  we  had  gone  through  the  Rip. 
Scarcely  any  wind.     One  passenger  sick  already. 

17th  September. — ^Wind  N.W.  fresh.  Ship  rolling  very  much,  so 
much  so  that  it  was  quite  impossible  to  get  any  sleep. 


284  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

18th  September. — Fresh  gale  from  S.W.  with  high  sea.  Saih  set — 
Inner  and  outer  jibs,  foresail  and  fore  topsails,  main  topsails  and  top- 
gallant sail,  mizen  topsails  and  main  topgallant  staysail.  Ship  taking 
in  a  lot  of  water.     Heavy  squalls  accompanied  with  rain. 

19th  September.— Lat.  45'  19'  S.,  long.  147'  31'  E.  Distance  204 
miles.  A  little  music,  principally  selections  from  "  Billee  Taylor  " 
and  "  Carmen."     Took  in  staysail  and  set  mainroyal. 

21st  September. — One  of  the  passengers  caught  a  large  mollyhawk 
with  a  piece  of  string.  A  piece  of  stick  is  attached  to  the  end  of  the 
string  which  is  coloured  and  allowed  to  hang  over  the  stern,  the  bird 
does  not  notice  it  and.  diving  under  it,  gets  its  wings  entangled.  Very 
fine  on  deck  though  exceedingly  cold. 

23rd  September. — A  terrible  day  and  as  bad  a  night.  Captain  says 
he  never  saw  such  big  seas.  Wind  blowing  a  gale  with  furious  squalls. 
Ship  taking  in  water  over  all  parts.  On  main  deck  it  is  on  a  level  with 
mam  hatch.  About  10  o'clock  a  grtat  sea  came  up  astern  and  went 
clean  over  the  poop  ;  at  same  time  the  ship's  head  went  into  another 
■  big  one,  flooding  the  foc's'le,  smashing  the  cuddy  in  several  places  and 
washing  some  buckets  overboard.  Hen  coops  with  contents  all  floating 
and  sliding  about  the  poop.  On  main  deck  seamen's  chests,  clothing 
and  boots  washing  about.  One  of  the  sailors  whilst  asleep  in  a  top 
bunk  was  washed  out  and  struck  his  head  on  one  of  the  beams, 
giving  it  a  frightful  gash.  The  quartermaster  was  washed  under  the 
wheel  and  hurt  his  back.  It  would  not  have  been  so  bad  for  him  if  he 
had  let  go,  but  he  hung  on  to  his  post  and  wrenched  his  back.  He  had 
to  be  carried  forward.  All  the  men  and  midshipmen  got  washed  out. 
Lat.  48°  47'  S.,  long.  167°  42'  E.  Distance  235  miles.  Barometer  29.89. 
24th  September. — Another  awful  day  with  furious  squalls  every 
twenty  minutes.  Plenty  of  sprays  and  small  seas  on  the  poop.  Ship 
rolling  60°  at  times.  No  church  but  short  service  of  sacred  songs  in  thi 
evening.  We  are  running  under  fore,  main  and  mizen  lower  topsails. 
The  seas  are  terrible.  1  don't  like  looking  at  them  at  all.  Lat.  47°  37' 
S.,  long.  173°  38'  E.     Distance  247  miles.     Barometer  29. 34. 

27th  September. — Antipodes  Day.  No  wind  and  smooth  sea. 
28th  September. — We  are  to  have  a  grand  concert  in  the  saloon  on 
Friday,  so  to-day  there  are  a  few  rehearsals,  such  harmony,  especially 
of  the  quartette.  It  mustn't  be  mentioned  though  I  wish  they  would 
go  somewhere  else  to  prac.ise,  the  voices  are  all  like  lions,  but  a  nearer 
comparison  is  like  carrov  grating. 

30th  September. — Horrible  noise  in  the  mate's  cabin,  through  this 
being  his  birthday,  and  like  all  civilised  people,  he  is  "  keeping  it  up." 

2nd  October. — The  grand  concert  came  off  at  7.30  p.m.  The 
finest  song  was  a  duct.  "  I  would  that  a  single  word."  by  Mrs.  Berridgs 
and  Mr.  Rowe. 


A   PASSENGER'S  LOG  285 

3rd  October. — A  splendid  day  :  sea  quite  calm  :  wind  comes  in 
catspaws,  sails  flapping  very  much.  P.M.,  a  game  of  cricket  was 
played  on  the  main  deck.  A  whale  came  right  up  under  the  stem  to 
blow— a  beautiful  sight.  Lat.  48°  02'  S..  long.  153°  42'  W.  Distance 
35  miles. 

6th  October. — !\Iy  berth  companion,  Paterson,  had  an  apoplectic  fit 
to-day. 

9th  October. — Whilst  sawing  wood  for  a  shelf  in  my  cabin,  in  the 
lazarette,  the  chief  steward  chalked  me,  putting  two  crosses  on  each 
boot.  I  saw  it  coming  and  tried  to  get  away  but  the  way  was  barred 
by  the  other  stewards.      It  cost  me  three  shillings. 

11th  October. — Miserable  wet  day  with  little  or  no  wind.  After 
tea,  gambling  was  carried  on  in  shape  of  half-penny  points  at  vingt-et-un. 

21st  October. — The  mate  caught  a  lot  of  Cape  pigeons  and  one  Cape 
dove  to-day:  he  let  them  go  again,  but  tied  red  bunting  round  the  necks 
of  three,  who  were  chased  about  by  scores  of  their  brethren.  The  lead 
was  cast  at  7  p.m.  and  found  mud  at  65  fathoms.  Lat.  53^  40'  S.,  long. 
72°  32'  W.  (dead  reckoning).     Distance  88  miles. 

22nd  October. — We  were  abreast  of  Diego  Ramirez  Islands  at 
quarter-past  three.  We  were  off  Cape  Horn  at  half-past  seven  within 
15  miles.  Sighted  two  barques  outward  bound.  A  school  of  porpoises 
passed  us  and  the  hands  tried  to  harpoon  them  at  the  bows.  We  also 
saw  a  bird  called  a  "  Cape  Horn  bird,"  a  very  pretty  one.  only  to  be  seen 
off  the  Horn. 

23rd  October. — 8  am.,  land  on  port  beam  with  snowcapped 
mountains. 

24th  October. — Passed  over  100  albatross  resting  on  the  water. 
Wind  rising,  going  along  about  8  knots  ;   mizen  royal  taken  in. 

25th  October.— Squally  with  snow  and  hail.  5  p.m..  squalls  got 
furious,  and  we  had  to  run  off  before  them  for  some  time.  Middle 
staysail  sheet  gave  way  and  sail  ripped  clean  up.  Three  men  at  the 
wheel. 

27th  October.— Wind  S.W.  Reefs  shaken  out  ship  rolling  and 
lurching  violently  at  times.     Heaviest  roll  38°. 

30th  October. — Royals  taken  in  and  mainsail  reefed,  I  caught  a 
whale-bird  to-day. 

5th  November.— Lat.  33°  37'  S..  long.  34°  38'  W.  Distance  135 
miles.  Cour.se  N.  24  E.  Sea  smooth,  only  a  light  air.  awfully  hot  on 
deck  and  terribly  close  in  the  cabins.  Caught  an  albatross  weighing 
14  lbs.,  measuring  9  ft.  8J  in.  from  wing  tip  to  wing  tip  and  4  ft.  C  in. 
from  bill  to  end  of  tail. 

8th  November.— I  was  up  at  6  o'clock.  After  having  some  coffee— 
so  it  is  called,  but  I  don't  know  why!— I  assisted  to  scrub  the  poop  down. 
Wind  shifted  ahead  with  hard  squalls  and  heavy  rain  ;   reduced  sa-L     I 


28G  THE  RLACKWAT.L  FRIGATES 

was  at  the  !ee  wheel  for  an  hour  to  night,  and  as  the  ship  kicked 
dreadfully  it  was  long  enough.  Sighted  three  sperm  whales;  about 
half-past  eight  they  were  right  under  our  stern.  Two  of  them  blew 
at  distance  of  10  j^ards  from  the  stern.  Chief  officer  calculated  that 
they  were  60  feet  long.  .Ml  the  birds  have  left  us  except  four  littl'i 
petrels,  but  a  sand-martin  followed  the  ship  for  th:e?  hours  this  morning. 
Lat.  3r  26'S.,  long.  30*  41' W.     Course  N.  67  E.     Distance  57  miles. 

10th  November. — Wind  S.E.  just  enough  to  fill  the  sails.  We 
played  cricket  on  the  main  deck,  lost  a  few  balls  and  split  a  bat. 

12th  November. — A  flying  fish,  7  inches  long,  flew  aboard  and 
smashed  itself  all  to  pieces.  The  darkness  of  the  night  was  so  great 
it  was  impossible  to  see  the  mainyard  from  break  of  the  poop.  Kept 
blowing  the  horn  all  night.     Divine  service  held  in  the  saloon. 

14th  November. — Remained  on  deck  till  12  when  I  saw  the  comet 
rise  in  the  S.S.E.  In  a  short  time  it  was  nearly  overhead.  Its  tail 
covered  one-third  of  the  sky.  Its  Lead  was  very  bright  and  nucleus 
quite  plain. 

loth  November. — Signalled  full-rigged  ship  Siem  Morcna.  of 
Liverpool,  45  days  out  from  Southend  to  Corque,  Patagonia,  came  up 
on  our  starboard  quarter  only  a  quarter  of  a  mile  off. 

16th  November. — 8  p.m.,  heavy  squall  struck  us  and  we  luffed  for 
a  few  minutes.  The  darkness  was  like  a  thick  inky  fog.  Just  as  the 
darkness  was  lifting,  a  large  ship,  half  as  big  again  as  us,  came  right  on 
to  us  :  she  was  reported  bv  the  man  on  the  lookout  when  about  200  yards 
right  ahead.  Immediately  she  saw  our  lights,  she  put  her  helm  up  ; 
she  had  all  sail  set  and  stood  away  to  the  southard.  Everyone  got  a 
terrible  fright.      Lat.  16*  58' S..  long.  3P  52' W.     Distance  US  miles. 

17th  November. — Passed  an  American  whaler  about  noon  under 
lower  topsails.  Two  of  her  boats  were  after  a  large  whale  which  we 
saw  several  tmies.  Concert  held  in  the  saloon  to-night — very  poor  indeed. 

23rd  November. — Played  against  Rowe  and  Eden  in  quoit  tourn-.- 
ment  with  captain  as  my  partner.  We  won  the  heat  which  made  our 
opponents  awfully  wild.  Passed  a  large  homeward  bound  two-masted 
steamer,  square-rigged,  funnel  painted  blue  with  white  stripe  under 
black  top.     Signalled  her  but  she  declined  to  answer. 

25th  November. — i\ies5rs.  Jone.-;.  Mann,  and  Stephens  formed 
themselves  into  a  negro  group  and  gave  us  a  lew  comic  songs,  proceeds 
going  to  Merchant  Seam-n's  Orphan  .\sylum  box.  I  began  to  make 
a  small  model  of  the  ship. 

26th  November. — Passed  the  barque  Tchernaya,  1222  tons,  of 
Calcutta,  bound  from  Severndrog  to  New  York,  SS  days  out,  with  lower 
stunsails  set. 

27th  November. — At  9.18  p.m.  by  hmar  observations  we  we:e 
exactly  1  mile  south  of  the  line.       Long.  3P  15'  W 


"  SUPERB." 


PARKAMATTA." 


[  To  face  Page  286. 


A   PASSENGER'S   LOG  287 

1st  December.— Entered  my  name  for  draught  tournament.  Lots 
of  bonita  about  and  seamen  fishing  for  them  from  the  boom. 

3rd  December.— Strong  N.E.  breeze  and  high  sea.  .\t- quarter  to 
seven  a  big  sea  came  over  the  break  of  the  poop,  wetting  some  of  the 
passengers.  I  managed  to  get  out  of  the  water  but  was  caught  hold  of 
by  Elkington,  who  was  shding  down  to  the  les  poop.  I  tried  to  save 
my.self  by  holding  on  to  the  skyhght,  which  caused  hira  to  jerk  the  sleeve 
out  of  my  coat. 

6th  December.— Saw  the  transit  of  Venus  to-day  through  coloured 
glasses. 

13th  December.— Lat.  31*  15'  N.,  long.  37*  38'  W.  Distance  29 
miles.  Course  N.  7  W.  A  dolphin  passed  us,  also  three  whales. 
Plenty  of  gulfweed  about  and  we  managed  to  get  a  lot  of  it. 

16th  December. — Great  talk  and  betting  as  to  the  day  of  our  arrival. 
Fresh  N.W.  breeze,  ship  going  along  beautifully. 

17th  December. — Abreast  of  Flores  this  morn  in*. 

25th  December. — At  12.30  at  night  made  Lizard  lighthouse. 

27th  December. — 11  a.m.,  pilot  came  aboard  oli  Dungeness. 
Engaged  tug  Universe,  of  London,  for  £50,  to  pick  us  up  further  on  as  we 
could  sail  faster  than  he  could  tow.  3.30,  tug  took  hold.  All  square  sails 
stiiwed  away  with  a  "harbour  stow."  Packing  up  has  begun  with  a 
vengeance. 

I  have  quoted  this  passenger's  log  rather  fully,  as  it 
gives  a  good  idea  of  how  sea  life  has  changed  from  the 
passenger's  point  of  view.  How  much  more  of  an 
adventure  was  this  man's  passage  from  Australia  than 
the  present  day  run  in  a  palatial  Orient  liner  !  How 
far  more  interesting  to  the  natural i.st  and  to  the 
meteorologist  !  How  far  more  health-giving  to  the 
invalid  ! 

The  Salving  of  the  "  Superb." 

The   following  account  from   a  shipping  paper 
describes  the  last  days  of  the  Superb : — 

The  sailer  Superb,  of  London,  has  had  quite  a  curious  experience 
since  passing  out  of  the  control  of  her  original  owners.  It  is  said  that 
she  ran  away  with  her  scanty  crew  on  the  first  outward  passage  after 
the  sale  and  had  to  return  for  more  men. 

Under  the  Norwegian  flag,  bound  to  Europe  with  manganese  ore, 
she  wa)  dismasted  and  left  to  her  fate  on  27th  April,   19Ut>.         The 


288  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

crew  were  brought  to  England  by  the  British  barque  Seafarer.  Eleven 
days  later  the  derelict  was  fallen  in  with  by  the  British  ship  Senator, 
bound  from  British  Columbia  to  Liverpool,  when  in  36'  N.,  32'  \V. 
Mr.  John  H.  Wilson,  chief  officer  of  the  Senator,  son  of  a  Liverpool  pilot, 
volunteered  to  attempt  salvage  of  the  Superb  with  the  aid  of  five  men 
from  the  Senator.  Sails  and  provisions  were  put  on  board  the  prize, 
the  ships  parted  company,  and  the  first  news  of  the  undertaking  reached 
England  with  the  Senator. 

On  27th  May  the  Superb  was  sjxjken  by  the  steamer  Buceros, 
struggling  bravely  along,  in  30'  N.,  20'  W.,  and  on  Hth  June  the 
Union  liner  Galeka  reported  her  as  in  38"  20'  N.,  12'  44'  W.  She  got 
within  70  miles  of  Cape  Trafalgar  and  then  accepted  ordinary  towage 
services  of  the  Spanish  steamer  Julio,  to  bring  her  for  £100  to  Gibraltar, 
where  she  was  safely  brought  to  anchor  on  22nd  June.  Mr.  Wilson  is 
but  24  years  old,  served  his  apprenticeship  with  W.  Thomas  &  Co.  and 
has  since  sailed  out  of  Liverpool. 

At  Gib  the  old  Superb  was  converted  into  a  coal  hulk, 
and  was  broken  up  a  year  later. 

The  "Carlisle  Castle." 

The  second  iron  ship  built  in  the  Blackwall  Yard 
was  the  Carlisle  Castle,  measuring  115S  tons,  229.8  ft. 
length,  .37.8  ft.  beam  and  22.8  ft.  depth.  She  also  had  a 
frigate-like  appearance  and  in  no  way  resembled  the 
Clyde-built  iron  clippers,  which  about  this  time  were 
developing  into  a  splendid  type  of  their  own. 

The  Carlisle  Castle  was  very  heavily  rigged,  crossing 
three  skysail  yards;  and  had  a  double  set  of  stunsails, 
including  storm  lower  stunsails  for  running  easting 
down.  She  also  had  a  yard  half  way  down  the  main 
topgallant  sail,  to  which  the  sail  was  laced,  so  that  she 
could  run  under  half  the  topgallant  sail  if  required. 
She  was  a  fine  steady-going  ship  and  rarely  ran  over 
300  miles  in  the  24  hours,  being  very  wet  if  heavily 
pressed. 

Her  best  passages  were  80  days,  Lizards  to  Melbourne 
in  1877,  and  86|  days  from  Port  Phillip  Heads  to  East 
India  Dock  on  her  homeward  run. 


THE   CARLISLE   CASTLE  289 

On  the  passage  out  Carlisle  Castle  sank  the  Lizards 
on  11th  July,  1877,  the  same  day  that  Loch  Garry  left 
Queenstown,  and  the  two  ships  were  in  company  till 
the  22nd. 

On  the  homeward  passage  Carlisle  Castle  was  amongst 
the  wool  fleet,  having  been  dry-docked  and  otherwise 
carefully  prepared  for  the  race  home.  She  passed 
through  Port  Phillip  Heads  at  7  a.m.  on  23rd 
November,  1877,  rounded  the  Horn  with  skysails, 
topmast  and  lower  stunsails  set  on  20th  December, 
Mermerus,  Miliiades  and  Salamis  being  in  company, 
crossed  the  equator  21st  January,  1878.  Sighted  the 
Bishops  at  2  a.m.  on  16th  February,  and  docked  on 
the  18th. 

The  result  of  the  race  between  the  four  vessels  was 
as  follows  : — 

Miltiades  left  Melbourne  Nov.  16  arrived  London  Feb.  21 — ST  days 

Carlisle  Castle    ,,  „  ,,     23         ,.  ,,         ,,     18 87 

Salamis  ,,  ,,  ,,     24         ,,  ,,         ,.     19 S7 

Mermerus  „  ,,  ,,     24         .,  ,,         ,,     12 — 80 

Carlisle  Castle's  best  run  was  270  miles,  but  she  never 
had  a  really  good  chance.  In  the  spring  of  1880  she 
went  out  to  Melbourne  from  the  Lizards  in  74  days. 

Green's  sold  her  in  the  nineties,  and  soon  afterwards 
she  was  wrecked  with  all  hands  on  the  West  Coast  of 
Australia. 

The  P.  &  O.  Oceana,  Captain  L.  H.  Crawford,  C.B., 
passed  under  her  stern  when  it  was  noticed  that  she  was 
carrying  a  very  heavy  press  of  sail  for  a  vessel  on  a  lee 
shore  with  heavy  weather  coming  on,  and  she  was 
never  seen  again.  Some  wreckage  was  afterwards 
picked  up  which  identified  her,  but  none  of  the  crew 
escaped  and  she  probably  struck  and  went  down  with 
all  hands  that  night,  12th  July,  1899. 


290  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

"Macquarie"  (ex -"  Melbourne  "),  the  last  of 
the  Blackwallers, 

The  last  of  Green's  Blackwall  Line  of  sailing 
ships  was  the  Melbourne,  better  known  as  the  Macguarie, 
to  which  her  name  was  changed  when  Devitt  &  Moore 
bought  her  and  transferred  her  from  the  Melbourne  to 
the  Sydney  run. 

The  success  of  their  two  previous  iron  ships,  the 
Superb  and  Carlisle  Castle,  made  Messrs.  Green  decide 
to  build  the  very  finest  iron  passenger  sailing  ship  in 
their  power;  and  the  result  was  called  the  Melbourne. 
She  was  undoubtedly  one  of  the  strongest  merchant 
ships  ever  launched,  for  she  was  built  from  the  surplus 
plates  of  a  man-of-war  which  happened  to  be  under 
construction  in  the  Blackwall  Yard  at  the  same  time. 

The  Melbourne  measured  1857  tons,  269.8  ft.  long, 
40.1  ft.  beam,  23.7  ft.  depth  with  a  42  ft.  foc's'le  and 
69  ft.  poop.  Her  cabins  were  larger  than  those  of  any 
earlier  passenger  ship,  at  the  same  time  they  were 
completely  furnished.  Like  all  the  Blackwall  ships, 
where  the  comfort  of  passengers  was  the  first  consider- 
ation, the  Melbourne  was  more  noted  for  freedom  from 
accident  and  dry  decks  than  for  record  passages,  yet  she 
was  driven  hard  with  good  results  on  many  occasions. 
She  had  a  beautifully  carved  figurehead  of  Queen 
Victoria,  was  launched  in  June,  1875,  and  when  ready 
for  sea  cost  £42,000. 

On  her  maiden  voyage  the  Melbourne  left  the  East 
India  Docks,  drawing  19  ft.  11  in.  forward  and  20  ft.  2  in 
aft  in  tow  of  the  tugs  Prince  and  Rienzi  on  Monday, 
16th  August,   1875. 

She  was  commanded  by  Captain  Marsden,  her  com- 
plement included  4  officers  and  6  midshipmen  and  she 
had  a  full  passenger  list. 


MELBOURNE"   (AFTERWARDS  "  MACQUARIE  "). 


•  CAKLISLK  CASTLE. ■ 


[To fare  I'aije  290. 


THE   MELBOURNE  291 

The  new  ship  was  swung  at  Greenhithe  for  compass 
adjustment  and  then  proceeded. 

The  passage  down  Channel  was  slow,  she  was  off  the 
Start  in  company  with  the  well-known  iron  clipper 
Duntrune,  bound  to  Sydney,  on  22nd  August.  She  had 
very  light  winds  to  the  trades.  The  South  Australian 
clipper  St.  Vincent  was  in  company  on  1st  September  in 
45°  51'  N.,  10°  47'  W.,  also  on  the  8th,  14th  and  15th. 

On  16th  September  in  161°  N.,  26°  17'  W.,  the  wind 
hauled  from  east  to  S.E.  and  began  to  freshen  with 
threatening  appearance  of  weather.  The  flying  jib, 
royals  and  topgallant  staysails  were  taken  in,  and  the 
crossjack  and  driver  furled,  and  the  men  were  lavin» 
forward  to  clew  up  the  fore  topgallant  sail,  when  the 
fore  topmast  went  by  the  cap,  taking  the  main  topgallant 
mast  with  it.  All  night  the  hands  were  employed 
clearing  away  the  wreck:  at  7  a.m.  on  17th  they  were 
piped  down  for  two  hours,  then  at  it  they  went  again. 
At  6  p.m.  on  the  17th  the  barque  Ithuriel,  of  Swansea, 
was  supplied  with  a  cask  of  pork. 

18th  September  the  stump  of  the  fore  topmast  was 
sent  down,  the  carpenter  being  at  work  on  a  new  fore 
topmast;  the  ship  running  before  a  irnoderate  trade 
under  courses,  lower  fore  topsail,  jib  and  main  and 
mizen  topsails. 

The  new  fore  topmast  was  fidded  on  the  20th  and  the 
new  main  topgallant  mast  sent  up  on  the  24th.  On 
the  following  day  the  upper  main  topgallant  yard  was 
crossed  and  both  topgallant  sails  set. 

On  28th  September  the  Melbourne  crossed  the  line 
in  2G°  3'  W.,  37  days  out  from  the  Start. 

On  23rd  October  the  Melbourne  made  her  best  mn, 
286  miles,  in  43''  43'  S.,  24°  23'  E.,  a  hard  westerly  gale 
blowing  with  terrific  squalls  and  heavy  sea. 


292  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

On  4th,  5th  and  6th  November,  the  ss.  Northumberland 
was  in  company,  on  4th  on  starboard  quarter,  5th 
starboard  beam  and  6th  starboard  bow,  the  wind 
moderate  from  west  to  N.W.  and  the  Melbourne's  runs 
for  those  days  239,  238  and  268,  from  78"^  51'  E.  to  95"  20' 
E.  in  lat.  43°  50'  S. 

16th  November  at  2  p.m.  the  Melbourne  was  off  the 
Heads  and  at  7  p.m.  she  anchored  in  Hobson's  Bay, 
84  days  out,  her  passage  being  spoilt  by  the  dismasting 
and  poor  run  to  the  line. 

On  8th  January,  1876,  the  Melbourne  passed  through 
the  Heads,  homeward  bound.  Her  best  run  292  miles 
was  made  in  50°  58'  S.,  125°  55'  W.  before  astrongN.W. 
wind  on  29th  January.  On  10th  February  at  4  a.m. 
she  passed  outside  the  Diego  Ramirez,  33  days  out. 
Fernando  de  Noronha  was  sighted  on  10th  March  and 
the  equator  crossed  on  the  12th. 

On  18th  April  the  little  St.  Vincent  was  met  in  the 
mouth  of  the  Channel,  homeward  bound  from  Adelaide. 
The  two  ships  had  seen  each  other  last  on  15th  September 
when  both  were  outward  bound. 

On  19th  April  the  Melbourne  passed  the  Start,  and 
at  9  p.m.  on  20th  took  steam,  arriving  in  the  East  India 
Docks  on  22nd  April,  104  days  out. 

The  Nautical  Magazine  gave  an  account  of  the 
Melbourne's  second  passage  to  Melbourne,  which  was 
as  follows: — 

The  Melbourne  left  the  East  India  Docks  on  10th  June,  1876,  and 
Gravesend  on  12th  June,  the  pilot  leaving  her  off  the  Start  at  6  p.m.  on 
15th  June  and  a  departure  from  the  land  being  taken  on  the  following 
day.  Ordinary  winds  and  weather  prevailed  to  the  tropics,  which  were 
entered  on  2nd  July,  and  after  a  tedious  drag  through  the  N.E.  trades^ 
which  were  exceedingly  light,  the  equator  was  crossed  at  midnight  on 
14th  July  in  long.  30°  30'  W.  The  tropics  were  quitted  on  24th  July_ 
and  so  little  easting  was  there  in  the  S.E.  trades,  that  the  ship  had  to 
tack  three  times  before  clearing  the  South  American  coast. 


THE  MELBOURNE  293 

The  meridian  of  Cape  Agulhas  was  crossed  on  10th  August,  and 
after  that  the  ship  had  it  all  her  own  way,  strong  fair  winds  prevailing. 
In  running  down  the  easting  she  sailed  5129  miles  in  17  consecutive  days 
or  an  average  of  about  300  miles  a  day,  the  best  runs  being  374,  305  and 
352  miles  a  day.  Cape  Otway  light  was  sighted  at  3  a.m.  on  Thursday, 
31st  August,  and  the  Heads  were  entered  at  11.30  a.m.  and  but  for  the 
bad  northerly  wind  which  headed  her  coming  up  the  bay  she  would  have 
reached  the  anchorage  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day.  She  was  taken 
alongside  the  Sandridge  railway  pier  to  discharge  her  cargo  on  1st 
September. 

The  three  24 -hour  runs  mentioned  arc  very  big  runs 
for  a  vessel  of  the  Melbourne's  speed,  and  I  should 
have  considered  them  beyond  her  capabilities,  if 
this  newspaper  account  had  not  been  taken,  as  was 
usual  with  Australian  reporters,  straight  from  her 
log  book. 

The  Melbourne  sailed  regularly  to  Melbourne  until 
1887,  during  which  time  her  outward  passages  averaged 
82  days.  She  was  then  bought  by  Devitt  &  Moore  to 
replace  their  S3^dney  passenger  ship,  the  old  Parramatta, 
whose  commander,  Captain  Goddard,  transferred  to  the 
Melbourne  and  took  her  out  to  Sydney  with  50  passengers. 
She  arrived  in  Port  Jackson  on  the  27th  December, 
1887,  for  the  first  time,  94  days  out  from  London;  and 
henceforward  she  sailed  as  regularly  to  Sydney  as  she 
had  done  to  Melbourne. 

In  1888,  w^hen  she  was  about  to  sail  on  her  second 
voyage  to  Sydney,  Messrs.  Devitt  &  :\Ioore  changed  her 
name  to  Macquaric. 

In  1897  she  succeeded  the  Harbinger  as  one  of  Devitt 
«&  Moore's  cadet  ships  and  Captain  Corner  received  the 
command.  In  1903,  after  six  successful  voyages  as  a 
cadet  ship,  her  owners,  to  their  subsequent  regret, 
sold  her  to  the  Norwegians,  who  renamed  her  Fortium, 
and  stripped  the  yards  off  her  mizen  mast.  Her 
first  passage  under  the  new  flag  was  from  Frederickstadt  to 


294  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Melbourne,  where  she  arrived  on  the  13th  January,  1906, 
after  an  absence  of  more  than  nineteen  years. 

After  running  her  for  five  or  six  years,  the  Norwegians 
sold  the  staunch  old  ship  to  Messrs.  Lund,  who  moored 
her  in  an  Australian  port  as  a  store  hulk. 

The  grand  old  Macquarie  was  perhaps  the  best  known 
of  all  the  Blackwall  frigates  to  the  present  generation, 
for  magnificent  photographs  of  her  under  sail  were  very 
common  not  many  years  ago  in  every  marine  optician's 
shop  window.  These  photographs  were  taken  by 
Captain  Corner  and  reproduced  by  Messrs.  Hughes,  of 
Fenchurch  Street,  and  they  not  only  show  one  the  beauty 
of  the  old  sailing  ship,  but  at  the  same  time  they  clearly 
indicate  the  majestic  appearance  of  the  old  Blackwall 
frigates. 

Yet  a  photograph  can  tell  one  very  little,  and  the 
world  will  never  again  know  the  exhilaration  of  watching 
a  Blackwaller  under  sail,  bowing  in  stately  fashion  to 
the  short  Channel  seas  as  she  surges  along,  the  sprays 
flying  over  her  foc's'le,  the  wind  making  music  in  her 
rigging  and  a  white  bone  of  foam  spread  on  either  side  of 
her  cutwater. 

Imagination  can  only  carry  us  a  little  way;  it  cannot 
put  the  whole  picture  together  from  the  few  striking 
pieces  in  its  possession,  such  as  the  sheen  of  wet  wood 
in  the  sun,  the  creamy  iridescent  sparkle  of  the  foam  to 
leeward  and  the  swirling  wake,  the  lights  and  shades 
and  shadows  on  the  sails,  the  curves  and  lines  of  standing 
and  running  rigging,  the  varnish  of  blocks  and  paint  of 
spars  and  such  bright  patches  of  colour  as  the  transparent 
green  of  the  curling  sea,  the  yellow  glint  of  copper 
against  the  bow  wave,  the  flash  of  gaudy  bunting  and 
the  red  jackets  of  troops  dotting  along  the  snow-white 
hammock  nettings. 


.!v-J^ 


FINIS  295 

The  modern  eye  has  no  knowledge  of  this  vanished 
wonder  of  sea  life  except  from  pictures.  Nor  can  the 
modern  ear  vibrate  with  the  thunder  under  the  forefoot ; 
the  sharp  flogging  clap  of  shaking  canvas;  the  hiss  of 
the  surges  and  the  suck  and  gushing  through  clanginfr 
deck-ports  and  gurgling  scuppers;  the  rattle  of  sprays, 
like  small  shot  on  the  deck:  the  singing  of  the  shrouds 
and  the  whining  hum  of  the  backstays;  nor  yet  with 
all  the  groans  and  creaks  and  cries  of  the  wooden  ship 
in  a  seaway. 

The  old  Blackwall  frigate  has  followed  Nelson's 
wooden  walls  into  the  mists  of  the  past.  The  lithograph 
and  the  faded  photograph,  the  sea  stained  log-book,  and 
the  letters  of  a  few  dead  and  gone  shellbacks — letters 
with  a  foreign  aroma  and  world-wide  postmarks — are 
all  that  remain  to  us  of  a  period  which  no  sailor  can 
think  of  except  with  a  sigh  of  regret  and  a  hope  that,  in 
the  Port  of  Kingdom  Come,  he  will  find 

"      .     .     .     .  riding  in  the  anchorage  the  ships  of  all  the  world. 
Having  got  one  anchor  down  'n'  all  sails  furled." 


Finis. 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX 


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304  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

APPENDIX  II. 


OLD  STATION  LISTS. 


(1)  Watch  List.  1858. 
Port. 

1  boatswain's  mate 

3  able  and  1  ordinary) 

seamen  / 

2  able  and  1  ordinary) 

seamen  j 

2  able  seamen 

4  able  seamen  •> 
2  ordinary  seamen  > 
1  boy  J 
Midshipmen  of  the     \ 

watch  and  1  boy  J 


forecastle  men 

foretop  men 
maintop  men 

after-guard 
mizentop  men 


Starboard. 

1  boatswain's  mate 

( 3  able  and  1  ordinary 
^  seamen 

(  2  able  and  1  ordinary 
(^         seamen 

2  able  seamen 
,'4  able  seamen 

I  2  ordinary  seamen 
M  boy 

j  midshipmen  of  the 
)^         watch  and  I  boy 


Fore  topsail  yard  men 


(2)  Stations  for  Reefing  Topsails  and  Shortening  Sail. 

On  the  Forecastle. 

Second  Officer  and  Boatswain. 

Boatswain's  mate  of  the  starboard  watch. 
Forecastle  men  of  both  watches. 
Foretop  men  of  both  watches. 
Sailmaker. 

Carpenter  and  his  mate  to  the  fore  topsail 
^  hallyards. 

In  the  Maintop. 

Third  Officer. 

Boatswain's  mate  of  the  port  watch. 

Maintop  men  of  both  watches 

After-guard  of  both  watches. 

Two  quartermasj'ers. 

Baker  and  butcher  to  main  topsail  halyards 

In  the  Mizentop. 
Fourth  Officer. 


Main  topsail  yard  men 


Mizen  topsail  yard  men 


All   the  midshipmen   and   boys  of   both 
watches. 


(3)  Stations  for  Man  overboard. 

Volunteers    for 


Boat  s    Crew. 


All  others       -^       ^^  °^  ^  wind,  to  their  stations  for  working  ship 
t       If  running,  to  their  stations  for  shortening  sail 


APPENDIX 


305 


(4)  Signals  to  Boats. 

In  the  daytime 
1st  distinguishing  pen-  \ 

dant  I 

2nd  distinguishing  pen-  ) 

dant  J 

Rendezvous  flag 
Blue  Peter 

J 


r 


Whiff 


At  night 

■{   2  lights  vertical  at  peak 

(  2  lights  horizontal  at 
j  peak. 

^    „  ^         J    i-u      u-     f  1  light  forward,  and  1 
pull  towards  the  ship  °^^^ 

give  way  as  you  head 

r   2   blue     lights    fired   to- 
return  to  the  ship       I  gether — 1  from   for- 


puU  more  to 

starboard 

pull  more  to 
port 


ward,  1  from  aft. 


(5)  Stations  for  Working  Ship. 

On  the  Forecastle. 
Second  Officer  and  Boatswain. 

c   Let  go  headsheets 


Forecastle  men  of  the  lee  watch 


Forecastle  men  of  the  weather 
watch 


Foretop  men  of  the  lee  watch 


Foretop  men  of  the  weather 
watch 


Brace  main3^ard  round. 

Board  foretack. 

Pull  forelift  up. 

Let  go  breast  backstays. 

Overhaul  foretack. 

Haul  over  headsheets. 

Board  foretack. 

Set  up  breast  backstays. 
(  Raise  lee  fore  clue-garnet. 

Haul  forvs^ard  maintop  bowline,  and 
brace  round  mainyard. 

Brace    round    fore    topgallant 
I         royal  yards, 
j    Raise  weather  fore  clue-garnet. 
■     Let  go  mainbrace  and  bowline. 


and 


I    Haul  aft  foresheet 

In  the  Waist 

Third  Officer. 

Boatswain's  mate  of  the  star-     ^ 

board    watch  I 

Sailmaker,  baker,  carpenter  and  j 

mate,  butcher  and  mate      j 

On  the  Quarter-deck. 
Fourth  Officer. 

Haul    aft      mainsheet 


Work  maintack  and  foresheet. 


Maintop  men  of  both  watches 
One  of  the  lee  watch 
Boatswain's  mate  of  port  watch 

After-guard  of  both  watches 


and    brace 
'i  round  foreyard. 

Letting  go  mainsheet. 
\   Check     headbraces,      and      attend 
(  main  topsail  brace. 

Raise  main  clue-garnets. 
•'    Brace  round  main  topsail  yard. 
V   Brace  roui^d  {orevard- 


306  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

After-guard  of  lee  watch  Pull  up  mainlift. 

After-guard  of  weather  watch  Set  up  breast  backstays. 

Two  midshipmen  work  the  poop,  boom  topping  lift  and  main  topgallant 
braces. 

/   Brace  round  crossjack  yard. 
All  other  midshipmen  and  boys     <    Take  in  slack  of  breast  backstays. 

V   Brace  round  fore  topsail  yard. 
One  boy  of  lee  watch  Overhaul  mainsheet 

(6)  Stations  for  Quarters,  1858. 

To  command,  captain;    A.D.C.'s,  two  midshipmen. 

On  quarter-deck,  first  officer;   To  work  guns,  second  officer. 

1st  gun  and  opposite. 
(Carronade) 

Boatswain's  mate 


0-S.    ^ 

Handspike 


D   <===»  D  LO  A  D 


One  boy  Serve  Cartridge 


2nd  gun  and  opposite. 
(Long  gun). 


N? 

A.  B.       2    ^ ^    I         A.B, 

Match  \  T  vent 


,       O.S.  4  i  '  3  O.S. 

'Handspike  \  j  hanospikb 


A.B.  6  J (    5  A.B 

SPOiJCE  t:-=i  LOAD 

ONE  BOY  SET5VE  Cartridge 


APPENDIX  807 

3rd  gun  and  opposite 

(Carronade). 

Boatswain's  mate. 


^     NO 
A  B.     '2   >Z— X   ,        A.B. 

'.MATCH        ^     T^  T  VENT 


A.B.       „    _J    ,..    A.B 


"Handspike 


4    I         "I    3  Handspike 


O.S.       6  «^==t  5        O.S. 


A.B:        ft  LJ  7         A.B. 

SPONGE       «     I        [     '  LOAD, 

ONE  Boy  Serve  caRiTridce 

N.B. — Boys  to  stand  on  the  side  of  the  deck  opposite  to  that  engaged. 

In  the  magazine  To  hand  up  cartridges      At  the  wheel 

The  steward  The  cuddy  servants  2  quartermasters. 

Sail  trimmers  and  boarders,  1st  Division,  to  muster  ca   quarter-deck 
with  cutlasses  and  pikes. 

Third  officer. 
Sailmaker. 

1  quartermaster. 
8  A.B.'S 

2  O.S.'s 

Baker,  butcher,  and  mate. 

Small-arm  party  to  muster  on  the  poop  with  muskets  and  bayonets. 
Fourth  officer. 
The  midshipmen. 

Surgeon  to  occupy  the  gunroom  platform,  and  be  prepared  with 
tourniquets,  etc. 

Carpenter  and  mate  to  batten  hatches  down,  rig  pump  and  fire  engine 
and  prepare  plugs. 

Passengers,  with  their  arms,  to  reinforce  small  arm  party;  or,  should 
the  enemy  gain  the  deck,  occupy  and  defend  cuddy  or  awning  cabins. 

In  repelling  boarders,  if  the  men  are  not  required  at  the  guns,  the 
crew  of  the  foremost  gun  with  pistols  and  cutlasses  to  reinforce  the  1st 
Division  of  boarders;  and  the  crews  of  the  tAVO  after-guns  to  fall  in,  two 
deep,  across  the  quarter-deck  with  muskets  and  fi.xed  bayonets,  and 
from  the  2nd  Division  of  boarders. 


808  THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 

Remarks  on  Defending  Ship. 
If  boarded  from  forward,  the  after-guns  to  be  slewed  inboard, 
and  pointed  to  sweep  the  forecastle,  loaded  with  slugs,  nails,  old  iron,  etc. 
Every  exertion  should  be  used  to  prevent  the  enemy  from  getting 
a  footing  on  board;  but  in  the  event  of  the  defenders  being  driven  from 
the  forecastle,  they  should  occupy  the  galley  or  rally  under  the  topgallant 
forecastle,  ready  to  act  in  rear  of  the  enemy  should  they  advance  to  meet 
the  2nd  Division  on  the  quarter-deck. 

If  the  enemy  is  driven  back,  and  to  be  boarded,  the  1st  Division  to 
board  under  cover  of  a  volley  from  the  small-arm  party,  and  endeavour 
to  hold  the  ^eck  until  the  2nd  Division  can  form  two  deep  behind  them 
with  fixed  bayonets;  a  few  men,  two  deep  and  shoulder  to  shoulder, 
will  make  a  far  more  effectual  charge  than  a  larger  number  scattered 
and  acting  independently. 

In  boarding  the  enemy  the  attack  should  be  made  with  all  the  avail- 
able force,  except  a  few  cool  marksmen  to  pick  ofi  the  most  active,  or 
cover  a  retreat. 

An  active  junior  officer  should  accompany  the  boarders  with  spike- 
nails  and  a  hammer,  to  spike  any  of  the  enemy's  guns  he  can  get  near 
during  the  struggle. 

If  the  wheel  is  exposed  to  musketry,  the  quartermasters  may  stesr 
with  the  relieving  tackles,  lying  down  on  the  deck. 

The  bulwarks  of  the  topgallant  forecastle  are  generally  high  enough 
to  shelter  the  small-arm  party,  when  firing  lying  down;  bales  of  hay 
afford  a  ready  means  for  forming  a  loopholed  barricade  across  the  poop. 
Grummet  wads  are  best  for  service.  Spare  chains  or  topsail  sheets, 
cut  into  lengths  of  4  or  5  feet,  and  stopped  together,  are  an  excellent 
substitute  for  canister  shot.  In  close  quarters,  or  to  repel  a  boat 
attack,  guns  loaded  to  the  muzzle  with  the  bottoms  of  empty  bottles 
will  do  good  execution  should  grape  be  scarce. 

(7)  Stations  for  Fire. 

Two  midshipmen,  as  aides-de-camp,  attend  Captain's  orders. 
First  officer — To  the  place  of  fire. 
Second   officer — Work   gangway  whips   and   burtons,  and  superintend 

passing  water  along. 
Third  officer — Work  fire  engine. 
Fourth  officer — With  cuddy  servants,  to  muster  blankets  and  bedding, 

soak  them  well,  and  pass  to  place  of  fire. 
Carpenter  and  mate  get  hoses  up,  and  rig  engine. 

Watch  on  Deck. 
Boatswain's  mate — Get  suction  hose  guyed  and  attend  nozzle. 
Forecastle  men — Work  head  pump,  and  pass  water  from  forward. 
Foretop  men — Proceed  to  place  of  fire  under  chief  officer. 


APPENDIX  309 

Maintop  men— Rig  whip  at  gangway,  and  fill  tubs. 

After-guard — Muster  quarter  deck  buckets  to  the  gangway,  and  take 

the  engine  to  the  most  convenient  place  and  work  it. 
Boys — Fill  cistern. 
Midshipmen — Pass  water  from  the  poop. 

Watch  Below. 
Boatswain's  mate — Sling  provision  casks  like  ballast  tubs  for  drawing 

water. 
Forecastle  men — Muster  under  boatswain  to  get  tackles  rove  and  act  as 

required. 
Foretop  men — To  place  of  lire. 

Maintop  men — Get  burtons  on  the  mainyard  for  water  tubs. 
After-guard — Pass  water  along  from  the  gangway. 
Sailmaker,  2  quartermasters    baker,  butcher  and  mate,  draw  water  at 

gangway. 

Should  the  Fire  Gain  Ground. 
Third  officer — Get  powder  ready  to  throw  overboard. 
Fourth  officer — With  cuddy  servants,  get  scuttle  casks  into  boats  and 

fill  them  with  water. 
Midshipmen — Get    boats   ready  for   lowering.       Each  midshipman  in 

charge  of  a  boat  should  be  provided  with  a  list  of  articles  required, 

and  endeavour  to  procure  everything  necessary. 
Steward — Get  bags  and  tins  of  biscuits,  tins  of  preserved  meat,  some 

spirits  and  wine,  ready  for  each  boat. 
Boatswain,  with  forecastle  men — Get  tackles  aloft  ready  for  long-boat, 

and  cast  off  lashings  of  spars. 
Sailmaker — Get  light  sails  ready. 
Carpenter — Collect  tools,  nails,  etc.,  for  each  boat.       If  the  crew  get 

unsteady,  the  second  officer  and  two  steady  petty  officers  should 

be  stationed  at  the  spirit -room  door  with  a  revolver  each. 

(8)  Boat  Stations  for  a  1000-ton  Ship. 

1st   Cutter. — Captain,    Carpenter,    2    midshipmen,    5    A.B.'s,   3  O.S.'s, 

1  boatswain's  mate,  8  or  10  passengers  besides  children. 
Second  Cutter. — Second  officer,  sailmaker,  1  boatswain's  mate,  5  A.B.'s, 

3  O.S.'s,  2  midshipmen,  8  or  10  passengers  besides  children. 
Long-boat. — First  officer,  boatswain,  carpenter's  mate,  6  A.B.'s,  2  O.S.'s, 

midshipmen,  14  to  20  passengers  besides  children  and  servants. 
First    jolly-boat. — ^Third    officer,     1    quartermaster.   4   A.B.'s,    1   O.S,, 

I  midshipman,  2  cooks,  servants. 
Sicond   jolly-boat. — Fourth   officer,    1  quartermaster,  4  A.B.'s,   1  O.S., 

1  midshipman,  butcher  and  mate,  servants. 


310 


THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 


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(«  f/) 

0,0. 


OQ 


;2; 


.2* 

IS 


w 


Z  T3 

c  2 


.^J 

s 

ro 

.b  « 

.c 

c5 

CO 

0 

bO 

■     C 

C 

•n  0 

c  <« 

•a  W) 

en 

s 

sea. 
sta 
Call 

to 

t>  0 

t^-o  0 

c 

•T3  'X 

4> 

0 

— .    n!  -^^ 

Si   0.^ 

•3 

4J 

rt'^-G'2 

ught  a  locu 
ssed  an  Am 
under  and 

a 

.4J     CI,  OJ 

I-. 

Z   "J   rt 

^ 

a, 

le  N.E 
tch  sh 
:.ight  b 
lendid 

nfused 
vessel 
5under 

0) 
> 

<: 

ai  0 

fB    rt  J3 

£q 

(/)U<3 

EoCicH 

O0O31O— <iM>nC50 

00-*— lOJ^'—CSO 
^  (M  _  ^  — .  — 


0  O  CO 
CD  O  r» 

^  CJ  — 


I 


I— t 

Q 


I    I 


I  I 


•"j"'*  OOlOlMOOlOOOOOM         CSCOCO 


CO   o  t*  t*  00 

W)   C/)C/)Crt  CO 


«o   ■•*<  w  CO  t^  >o  — .  OS  0 
(6  to      V'Oioie'ie'i-^fDao 


CS  r-   00  05  O  ' 


C-I  CO  •*  10 


APPENDIX 


311 


O         4J 


o  to 

&1 

CO  ~ 

.  o 

^5 
c  a 

u 


e-s 


■^  o  S 

l-l    i    ClJ 
jj  XJ  -5 


=     5 


•a 
c 

O 


"Ed 


o  . 

o  </> 

^  e 

Si  o 


C  ..'^  -G 


C  J" 

3 

cr 
0  '" 
a  a, 

G  x; 


WJ 

<u  a    . 

T) 

•a 

g  t,  -d 

4> 

7~^  a  ^  '^ 


P  o  >,  a 
'-'  *j  _  ■-• 


ni 


&J2 


CJ     ™ 


-.   o         t* 

d   en        J2 

i    >^>>>^ 

;2  TD  -a  73 

.Sr  dj  o  o 

(73  o)  u  c/5 


ex)      ^  — 

^    — .  _CJ   tn 

>'^  13  o 


g  -*   "i  ^   en 
C 


Cj    o    5  ^    ^    > 


:  ■  —    C    tn    0) 
CO  -4-'    ^ ,  —  . — . 


J:  8  ^  S^  ^ 
o  cu"  -•?;  c  > 

o  "  i2  ^  V  -• 

(J  <;  [/^  r/^  'i  — 


.    in    O  . 

rt  g.s' 

3    to  rt 


:  a;  f/3  > 


■-  >    «o   O   S  ^    i" 

r-  ^  jD  "  t: 

•  •S.S  &„■ 


o    t^    S 


r  c 

en 


(MIOOOOOOS'^'-HOCS 


^  MH  ^  CJ  <N  IN  <N 


CO  "O 


^W^wuyyy^     ^- 


<N  >0  O  -1  CD  C5  ■*  r-«  CO  O         O  CO  O  10  O  "t  :0  •-0         C-  C)         (N 
»OC0C0CO(NIM— <^         C^         CO         ^a3l»l--l>l^         0000         00 

m  tn  m  m  tn  t/i (f)  m  ifi     tn     m  a^  en  m  en  m  m  (a en  m     ui  (n  f^  m  m  en  m  tn     mm     m 


W 


OSWOOOOiO'^lMM 


,-.0      — . 


'Z. 

Wi 

CO  0  (M  CI  — .  -X  ro  — '  0 
ift-^(r4(MO-<*«co  —  0 

l^OOC^  —  CI— '»o  —  t-co 
0  10  10  O  CO  {M  -"t  — <  C-5  Ttl 

•<t  c-1  00  ^  »  ir:  00  CO 
—  0  1— c  <M  -<T  in  i;2  T*< 

— '  0 

L.-   (N 

(N 
10 

■^•^co  —  ot^iO'Tjieo      — « 


rJ<«5<Ct-a050  —  e^co 


312 


THE   BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 


u 


o      ^ 


,-::     6 


<U    3         C4    C 


^    C! 


'rt 


"ti  be 

.5  c 

tn   3     . 

-^  <J  i-  i:  >^ 

tn    tn    Cj    C  K 
3      .-O    c3 

^-'  —  X3        -C3 

•E   ^   ^         ^ 
^    ="   ri     .  T 

■r:  -c  .S  t«  "o 

^  .ti   C   CO   " 


!2 


to 

CU 


■x:  o 


2  •-  c  T  G  '!■■  "^ 


It/) 


I E      6 


,  T3   ^  H   M-^ 


3   o   nJ 


■  ^ 


i-i   1-.   3   P   3   ^  1? 

<^  ^  a:  >-iin  a 


ri   03   nJ        ro   rr  C3 


< 
^■3 

W  ° 
•^   tn 

O   >< 
-I-'   rt 

id -a 
O  r- 

3  o 

^^ 
^'  ^' 

o  bW 


.S    ?^    O 
rt   5   3 

•c  -S  ;::; 


3 
o 

X)     . 

^    0) 

a:)  v5 


±r>c 


a>  rr"       S 


O. 


hi)  O 
'^3 


<u 


4-i   3 
03   O 

1 1 

■  ^ 

3  ;-■ 

t3H 


-e  13  X 

3  t>   oi   c   '-' 


o3 


O 


>..^  ^ 


•S  >;:2: 


O  00  to  CO  o  — " 
<N  'i*  50  ^  M  M 
C^  -<  (M  (N  (M  (N 


--  <M  <35  ei 
O  lO  CO  fO 

oi  oi  o^  oi 


re  a        tJ<  — 

>o  o       o  in 


wauw     W     WW 

(-  ^  o  10  , ,  ^^      t^  o> 

OOOOOOOOWOO  0000 


wwww    wwww 


^J5^;5     ;z;x;z;^ 


WW     ^^ 


^^ 


»0  <3>  T*l  05  •>+l  C5 
>— 1  --<  (M  (N  CO  CO 


10  'i'  O  t^ 

(N  CO  '>l  O 

10  o  'S  o 

10  o  to  i> 


IM  CO  Tt<  d 


to  C-  GO  C5 


APPENDIX 


313 


eo 


?  to 

13  aj 


lu  o 
2   ni 


sc 


rt 


;^^       :5  "  • 

Z!   O  "^   i-T  S 

TJ  "C'  ~  —  «  c 
3    C    rd    ri    d    "^  "^ 
O   rt    3    3  ;^  H-i    O 

K  <  en  LO  lo 


-^> 


rt   cU   "   »> 

'"-  >■  ;h 

T-l  C/5  <*H  .- 

Curt  -d  i3  ~ 
IS^    C    o    "* 

rt  ^  +-> 
■^  S     --rt   « 

nj  ^  -2        C 

v.  >"     :  T3 
•    .  2f^^  c 

■-;.-;:  c  c  ^  V- 
E  g  "*  u    .  _§ 

'"^  o  a~    ■  c 

'-'"  (U 


"  5  T3  <  .t:  J- 

1^  <<   —   -rt     O     C!j        • 

cfi  ./I'd  ix  2 

ri   rt    (U   ra    c;  o  lO 

S  S  c75 


>. 

u 

^ 

^ 

>■ 

b 

fn 

o 

S/5 

y 


"O 
u 

O 

-t-> 

X> 

•4-* 

u 

ja 

'^ 

?,  >. 

60 

. 

«5   rt 

II  « 

p... 

^  is 

"  ? 

,  1 

2  i^ 

CD 

S 

C 

-a 

r>;-o 

"n 

> 

it:  o 
■"*.  o  ^ 

>'    60  60 

O  Ti    fi 

o  "  >  S 

X)  ^  ~  ^ 

d  c  '^  -M 

,D    1/3  ci      . 

--^^^?: 

n3   S    °  ^  35 

So 


^  s 

::::  as 


tn   o   cl    HJ        -»J 


/3    v.,  — •  CA) 


s 

o 


o 


rt  P-i 


■ecw 


bK' 


O    o 


w)  "d 


to   ui  K^    j;    >;'  •-■ 

«  S  ^  >  Ji  t: 

(^  S  ^  -fi  (J-. 


0) 


^  <u 


o.^ 


O    O  .60 


'-d. 


.ti  -d  ^  i:  ^  ^  -d 

S    3    g    g,-2    a  03 


o  .«  o 


c  c  c 
<<< 


W 


O  O  'I*  — ■  oo 
(M  Tf  -f  C^  -tl 
W  -^  — 1  SI  (M 


r-  o  Tf  00 

C-  00  M  «> 


WW  WW 


2;2:3Z 


w 


O  «>     I 


wwww 

o  t^  >o  -* 

•O    Tf    n    -* 

;z;Z22; 


I  lO 


WW 


:2;s?; 


■^  -"^i  00      o 

lO  'f  N  O  >Q 

T(i  e<i  o  CO  o 


CO  >0  t^  CO 


CO  T*<  O  50  t> 


314 


THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 


00 


o 


^ 


<3 

Si. 


^ 


CD 


■•a  c 

I— (    ,4j 


9'^       C 


1g 

CD 


-^    T-i' 


^      rt 


l1  l_  ^ 
rt   «j   G 


:  "-C^   tS     .  ai 


D    Ij    fl 

"*'  «  -3"  fe  s 

r-  .J-  .3    D  n. 


4^    U    ?t 


o 


J^  .- 


o  o 

-4.)  rt  <5 

k5  u     . 

o  nJ   u, 


-ill 

^  -ex,  ^ 
»-*  X  ^ 


>,  *" 

>  0) 

(-"     C^    V-t  4_» 

.S    O    O  t, 

a!  ^  j::  — 

w        -i-i  +j 


C   ra    > 


1)  J 


>^  ^ 


cti 


J^ 


r^ 

>> 

U 

; — ; 

J3 

nJ 

( , 

<^ 

U- 

Cj 

■c 

r/l 

tc 

■^ 

-6 

c 

>> 

c 

K 

3  J= 

cr 

"J 

-3 

>.  f^us 


>,  tn  -^ 


X    ^   >    cS   '^ 


^^- 


t«  d 


5  rt  r 


-C    r^   rt    N 


CT  c    —  — 
-    "    -    O 


.  >.-i 


^    4J 


feS 


4J   -y    -M    ^   -3     I- 


_j  J  h-;  h  ^ 


;   ni   lu   rt  'O 

:  s  c  u  o 

!  (/}  S  Go  S 


5  i  ^ 


"  ts 


O  7-    OT    ^    >    o   C^   ^    - 
c.~fe-r^C!rt_^tnoC 


?    D    Cti    5    O 


'  2     ^    ?^ 


S2■|o-|.^^c||u 

l_,         ^^         . — '  ►^ 

^  j3  jC  --3  ^  ;:;  J   >^J2   nj 
bc  M  to  o  on"^  ec'  ^  tp  <u 

J  ^  i_)  S  J      i_J  >  ^  ;/2 


►^    -M    -W    -J    ^     O 

^/^    3    12    3    3  -> 

w  tf)  r^  m  in  (n 


CO  !M   t^  <C  -<  Si  -^  -H   O  O  CO  C^  O 


—  — <      o  ic  t^  00  o  o> 

t^05         X-til--«OTj<0 


1^  !»»■  ^   r^    i-'   1^ 


^  ^  ,^  ^  ■^ 


m 'S'i  tn (fi m -j^  linin m  tn  tn 'Si m 


Ci  CO 


(N  M  <M  .-I  (M  LO 

-*•     »    -H    ^    —    Tj( 


a  a  yi  a 
c/i  c/)  c/i  c/i 


o  S-1  o  t» 

■<*|  c»  C;  O 

—I  — <  <M 


wyuj^^i?     ^^"^s 


m  in 'Si 'It 


cc  —> 

00   •*■    T!<    f^J 

t-  ci       r-  "*  rj<  ■*'  .rfi  to       r-^  r-^  30  o 


Hi 

G 


t-  00  »  C  —  ?) 


Tj<  i.~  M  r-  X  0> 


CO  o 
1;^  — < 


J?;  75 


COQOt^^iO-^        —  OOM 


APPENDIX  315 


IS 

CO 

c 

a 

S 
o 

'5 

e 

e 

r5 

t3 

2  t 

\ 

c     . 

to 

in 

d          5 

lA   a 

k. 

.      U      C                Oj      -;      i_      O    ~ 

trades  and  clear, 
trades,  fine  and  plea 
and  fine  clear  weath 
breezes  and  clear. 
Is  and  clear, 
calms,  clear  weathe 

3 

_o 

.  en 

-  <o 

N 

.  3 

T  u              ■>-' 
-  >^             t> 

to.s  s  <"  fl 

«  rt  .£:  Td  ^1 

S    ^^    D   c    " 

T3    '■"    F^    !«  "O 
C    ,n    ^,  "O    c 

u  Sl^  ^^"Si  ^gc  g  c  ?^ 

u 

o 

u 

C 

—        .  <^ 

■-  ■-=  ■?  -S  s 

C    '/;    S         = 
rt    o    ?    71    O 

7)  ?J  "  -o  is 

ady 
ady 
ezes 

-  X 

>^  CO 

-.h'2  »'".C  ?  «^-r!  ^"■tl'S  "=  o 

-.    -'-"■'-'— x!c-^  —  —  *^  —  -G 
-  .^^  C  J3   E    tn   o    •'■    '-^    "•"  ~    ■^    "> 

N 

7) 

-0 

4)    <U    O 

'^   «J   u 

,•  C  u  -  >,c 

o 

1-. 

-3    O    C  S    <D 

rtst 
h,  St 
h  br 

4-*     (-< 

o 
.  -t-> 

o.a  o'^i  t^-^ 

^ 

5 

ni   "5    "5 

n-::i  a 

■x: 

(fl 

fr. 

rt  -3  o  75  -a 

CO  to  to 

go '3 
crtS  to 

M 

J 

i-H  en  HH  1-^  >-l 

4>c3.-ni»-.i;i-.ut,.iri_,w- 

>toi-)uto:/5tototoHJtoto 

Ui 

2^    O    3    u    c    o 

to  uo  S  v5  PS 

'is 

Nc/i 

t; 

c/i  o 

tr  r.  -o  ^      o         T3 

%i 

.  o  c 

totoCA! 

^ 

c 

rt 

5^w 

.a  '-'       Q         ■    .  >^  i''  '^  ^ 

^ 

S.E. 
S.E. 
S.E. 

^^ ;;;  ^^?  ^  3  ;;•  5  ^.  .g  >  >  c/^>; '^- £  >  ^  2:. 

2  ;5  ^'  is  Izi  ^ 

<D  O-f 

•*  o  o 

-^  00 

r- 

lo  —  o  to  — 

OOtJIOOOOOOC^'CCOINSOOOC^O^I 

O  >0  CO  O  —  CO 

•*t^r-(r)0><Mt^o 

Cl 

M<  — 1  ci  cc  o  00  M  —  •*  O)  (M  t^  (M  -.o  e«5  -^  CO  "•: 

r)i 

<0 

«  O  O  05  — 

64  94  (N 

<N  —  — 

»-^ 

Cl 

—  (M  W  "- 

^--(N»4<MW(N'^(N(N 

Oi 

(N 

(M  «  CO  -^  ©< 

^^j? 

aw 

U 

U  to  to  to  to^ 

toto^tototototototoWtoWto 

a   .«   ^^   « 

_    7)   t:  ._   en 

C5— 'lOMt^t^O  — 

t^ 

<35  t^  CO  t-  t^ 

<M  —  C00>-*r-0— •aoCC'J'N— • 

rl 

'-'   «J  rt  ^   ri 

—  (N  — 

a  o 

T«< 

T*.  O  00  CO  00 

oo-^cociosoi-ir-t-r^ooQOoo 

t~ 

(i) 

<«toto=^to 

(/)  u)  m  m  (/)  ui  (/}  m 

t/) 

c/)c/3Z;2;;2;c/5t/)c/5c/2criC/2i/)c«c/2Crtc/3cnc/5cn 

C/3              C/2 

J? 

Sjto 

o  t- 

M  t-  M  (N  «D 

lO 

U-J  (N  (N  OS  — 

050:0050~'0-*r-'#t^iO 

Tf 

KO  CO  <N  00  O  -X)     1 

CJ  lO  OJ  (N  lO  — 

It  >o 

•<«< 

CO  T*i  (N  CO  lO 

— "COM"— ■O'.'O-xrTfffJCOTj'^Oi-* 

Tt< 

lO  CO  «^  o  >o 

-^WrtiTjieOTttM-H 

CO 

o  sa  00  •*  M 

-<OOOCD— iC000-<i<OMC0-*0><« 

—  o  CO  oc  e-i 

MccieoeoMMfOeo 

(N 

M  CM  -"  --  — 

rt-H—                                 — p^(M5'iC0C0'*OOO?=>t-j 

•^  O  lO 

OS  CO 

e  -^ 

Oi 

co«!Osooao—       Tf'^           oW"^  —  oocoM'Ococooo 

Tt  O  (M 

■<^  --  — 

~  'N 

o 

CO  O  (N  S^  — 

c-iuo->#— <coeo3i(M!74^coiceoe<>s^iTj<T)<-*!NTi<    | 

t~  W  O  O  •<*  CO 

I^  00 

o 

<M  CO  CO  CO  CO 

Mco-**Jt-o>o  —  cicocoeo-* 

UI 

^. 

lO  lO  IS  CO  ® 

"*  ^ 

M  (M  (>»  'M  I^ 

CO 

coMco»ocoeoeo«ocoeocOTrTi<T-*'^«*T(<-*'*'*'«»i'^t'rj<-^ 

<N  re  -i<  lO  »  t- 

M  CS 

o 

— '  Cl  CO  Tf   lO 

-Ot-000>0  —  ^■ICO'tOCOt-OOOJO  —  —  s^co-* 

o 

:   :   : 

:     •- 

: 

: 

- 

>" 
:  o     :    :    . 

316 


THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 


■^^ 


•-1 


X 


T3 

«M 

-o  1- 

_« 

\-i 

0 

S  0 

r-^ 

a 

0^  si 

J3 

to 

.s 

C^rt 

a 

0 

J  0 

03 

'% 

X! 

e^ 

o 

3 

to 

—1   c 

xi 

•— 

s 

>    N    >%  CO 
'^    O    ^ 

'5) 

u 

N 

-           <D                  0 

«      5        .-a 

0   ro         >         n!     , 
jq  0        >        u  +e 

<u        P  oj        !"        S  -" 

3 

-o 

-d 
0 
0  _ 

^■d 

-d  1) 

c  t; 

c3    D 

2-0 

=^  2 

rf  -d 

-d  Si 
oi  0 

^  0  ^ 

be  >=   N   rt 

3 

0      -d  g  :„  3  c  :s       rf 
8      S  -^  S  5  ^  c  ??K 

U            4-l_>-.-l-i                      J^^ 

■"    OS    0    d 

*^  tog  ^ 

X!    tO„ 

eotJ 

CO 

X!  c  0  -J:; 

"ti  c  •:: 

0        P  ^  0  p.  V  mO.S 

0  t,  0  ^ 

55 

W          ^" 

^^ 

ui 

^i          c/i 

^ 

tn 

0 

^    .x:    .:z;:>'-:    . 

en 

C 

0 

1 

^ 

iz^'j^ui 

^ 

;^"  ^i  ^'  ^ 

t/i 

^zi^i^i    :^^:z; 

<D 

0  M  CI  •>! 

0 

ooot^oo-*-*«^oo 

1 

.:2  S 

c»  10  — <  O) 

IM 

MfOOCOCOlOlOOJ 

1 

<M  (N  (M  — 

M 

C^<M(M(M-^M(N  — 

<u 

WWW^ 

w 

w^wauwww 

(« 

t/} 

>-< 

-*  10  ■*  J^ 

00 

»0    nj"5  00  —  t-M-* 

1 

3 

O 

U 

00  00  00  y 

00 

ocyooi^t-t~coo 

1 

"^ 

^     ;z;^^2^^ 

W 

0 

C0C5>0-*'M.—  <MO 

60 

0  ■>#  CO  0 

ffi 

IC  CO  ■*  <M  CO  — 1  -H   Ttl 

d 
o 

M  -^  •*  —_ 

0 

Lo  -^  06  irJ  cJ  0  0  CO 

1 

ci  lO  0  lO 

0 

0--^(MC-.lCO-^T)i 

f 

t^  00  05  0 

rr* 

C/^ 

<M  10  in  M 

-H 

-<  (N  CO  t^  <M  10 

M  10  CO  CO 

(M 

■*  CO  -*  ■<;(<  rl;  1*  0  >0 

1 

0  d  CO  d 

CO 

to  co"  in  ■>*  CO  C'i  0  06 

1 

^*  "^  ^^  '^ 

■* 

^^    ^4   -^    ^4   T^   -^    "^   CO 

IC  CO  I>  CO 

05 

0  --  'N  CO  't  '-•:  CO  t^ 

00 

o 

^^ 

Q 

>■ 

0    :   :   : 

: 

: 

APPENDIX 


317 


o 

a 

Q. 
J3 

e 

2 

CO 

c 

•5 

s 

_3 
a 

3 
O 

> 

7! 

C 

E 

C9 

•a 
c 

3 

o 
o 

eg 

tc 

a. 
S 

3 

«3 

5 

^ 

u 

73 

^ 

to 

r 

o 

p. 

T3 

to 

.c 

<c 

c 

s 

jj 

O 

re 

re 

re 
c 

V. 

3 

5 
2 

> 

s 

■;^ 

■^ 

'c5 

^ 

. 

s> 

*^ 

s 

'S 

CO 

wT 

o 

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INDEX 


INDEX. 

A 

PlOE 

PAOl 

Aaron  Brown 

145 

Ben  Voirlich              ..          ..     261 

Abdulla 

217 

Bengal  (P.  &  O.)      ..          ..      145 

Abercrombie  Robinson 

64, 

106 

Benito  de  Soto  (pirate)            85-94 

A berdeen 

. . 

248 

Berenice  (Indian  IVIarine)    216,  220 

A bergeldie 

244 

Berridge,  Captain     . .          . .     283 

Aboiikir 

300 

Bethell  &  Co.             . .          . .      234 

Accringion 

240 

Betsy  Catns    . .          . .             56,  57 

Adelaide 

250 

Blackadder 233 

Admiralty  restnctioiib  on 

de'- 

Black  Joke  (pirate  ship)     85-89,  93 

sign 

. . 

31 

Blackmail 300 

Agamemvon  . . 

237, 

301 

Blenheim  (Smith's)      109,  160,  167, 

Aga    Said    Abdul    Hoosein, 

170,  172,  177,  300 

shipowner  . . 

. . 

269 

Blenheim  (Dunbar's)           235,  300 

Agincourt  (Green's)     154, 

157- 

159, 

Blue  Cross                ..           ..      109 

166, 

273, 

299 

Blue  Jacket    . ,             188,  191,  273 

Agincourt  (Dunbar's) 

235 

299 

Bolt,  Captain  Daniel  R.       . .      266 

Ajdaha  (Indian  Marine) 

216, 

220 

Bolton  Abbey             ..          ..242 

Alabama 

126 

Bombay  (Bombay  S.N.Co.) .  .      217 

Albiiera 

301 

Bride  of  the  Seas        ..          ..      217 

Alfred             ..              102 

-166, 

299 

Briggs  of  Sunderland           .  .      235 

Allen,  S.  H.,  shipowner 

267 

Brine,  Captain           ..          ..      191 

Allowances     of     officers 

in 

British  Consul            ..          ..      245 

H.E.I.C. 

65 

British  Envoy            ..          . .      249 

Alnwick  Castle     137,  146, 

147 

236 

British  Monarch        ..          .  .      244 

238,  239, 

277 

302 

British  Trident          . .          . .      273 

Alumbagh             144,  236, 

277 

303 

Britomart 79 

A  mphiirite 

58 

Brotherly  Love           .  .             57,  58 

Anglesey       137,  180,  184, 

1*85, 

273, 

Brown  (boatswain  of  Punjaub)  225 

277 

301 

Browning,  Captain  W.G.    ..     281 

Ann  Diithie    . . 

250 

Broughton  Hall         . .          .  .      145 

A  n  n  Roy  den  .  . 

145 

Brunswick  Dock  and  Masthouse  34 

Arabian 

273 

Bucephalus     ..          ..         160,299 

A  ristides 

260 

261 

Burlington      .  .          .  .          •  •      179 

Asia  (convict  ship)   .  . 

105 

Buston  Vale 247 

Assaye            212-216,  219 

220 

,  222 

Butterworth,  marine  artist     10,  15 

Attwood,  Captain     .  . 

280 

Butterworth,  Captain           ..      175 

Auckland  (Indian  Marine'' 

215 

Byce,  Captain            ..          ..233 

Ayles,  Captain  J.  H. 

239 

c 

B 

Calwood           242 

Barham          ..     142,  169 

,  170 

,  300 

Camperdown          145,  169,  170,  300 

Baron  Aberdare 

261 

Canning          . .          . .          ■ •      301 

Bayard           . .          . . 

246 

Canterbury      . .           . .           .  •      301 

Bayne 

217 

3: 

Cardigan  Castle         ..          . .     245 

n 

328 


THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 


Carlisle  Castle  103,  244, 

PAGE 

288,  289, 

290,  303 

Castle  Huntly 

..        52 

Castor,  H.M.S. 

81 

Catherine  Elizabeth   . . 

84 

Cawarra  (U.S.N. Co.) 

..      210 

Ceylon 

84 

Challenge 

..      267 

Challenger 

132,  267 

Champion  of  the  Seas 

..      273 

Childwall  Abbey 

.  .      145 

Chrysolite 

..      165 

Chusan  (P.  &  O.)       . . 

..      217 

City  of  Brisbane 

..      201 

City  of  Glasgow 

..      277 

Clarence        137,  236,  238-240,  302, 

324 

Clayton,  Captain 

188-201 

Chfton 

..      217 

Clive  (Indian  Marine)  216 

220,221 

Clytemnestra  . . 

..      242 

Cognac  Packet 

58 

Coldstream 

166,  300 

Collingwood                   169, 

170,300 

Columbine,  H.M.S.    .  . 

..79.82 

Coleman,  Captain  George 

186,  191 

Connemara     . . 

..      249 

Connor      (acting-master 

of 

Punjaub)    .  . 

225,227 

Corner,  Captain 

293, 294 

Conrad,  Joseph 

..      231 

Constance 

..      177 

Contest 

..      249 

Cornwall 

..      300 

Corvasso,  Captain   David 

B.   237, 

280.  281 

Cospatrick 

173, 302 

County  of  Berwick     .  . 

..      249 

Crawford,  Captain  L.  A. 

..      289 

Cressy 

235.  299 

Crutchley,  Commander 

..     279 

Cuba,  H.M.S. 

..        73 

Cumberland,  H.M.S. 

79 

Cupples,  George 

..      151 

Curlew,  H.M.S. 

95 

Cuthell,  W.    (midshipman 

of 

Punjaub) 

225.  227 

Dakota 
Dalhouste 
Daring,  H.M.S. 
Dartmouth 
Daivn  of  Hope 
Deal  galley,  work  of 


173, 


..  217 
174. 300 

82 
..  302 
..      273 

76 


PAQB 

Defensor  de  Pedro     . .  .  .       85 

Defiance         217 

Denny,  Captain  George       .  .      151 
Devitt  &    Moore      . .  .  .      236 

Devonshire     .  .  .  .  300 

Dickenson,  Captain  T.  H.   .  .      155 
Dicky  Green  . .  .  .      103 

Dinsdale,  Captain  Charles   .  .      246 
Discipline  on  Blackwallers  .  .      112 
Discovery        .  .  . .  .  .        56 

Donald  Mackriy         . .  .  .      243 

Donkin.  Captain  Thomas    ..      179 
Downie,  W.  I.  . .  .  .      172 

Doxford  of  Sunderland        .  .      235 
Duke  of  Argyle  ..  ..      178 

Duke  of  Northumberland       .  .      108 
Duke  of  Roxburgh      ..  ..108 

Dunbar         131,  173,  202-210,  235, 

236,  301 
Dunbar  Castle     236.  243.  280.  281, 

303 
Duncan  Dunbar  203,  208,  236, 

264,  302 
Duncan  Dunbar,  Mr.  109,  131, 

235, 236 
Duntrune        . .  . .  . .     291 

Dunvegan  Castle        ..  ..      178 

Durham  ..  ..         277,303 


Eagle  . . 

Earl  Grey 

Earl  of  Bakarres 

Earl  of  Clare 

Earl  of  Hardwicke       141 


273 
215 
106 
215 
156, 
299 
308 
257. 252 


51 
128 
154, 

238 


Eastern  Monarch 
Eastern  Star  . . 
East  India  Company,  effici- 
ency of        .  .  32,  33,  44 
East    Indiaman,   description 

of ..        62 

£rff«  (convict  ship)  ..      105 

Egan.  Daniel  . .  . .      207 

Eleanor  . .  . .  . .      178 

Eliza  Locks  . .  . .        84 

Elizabeth  Ann  Bright  ..     273 

Ellenborough  161,  178,  299 

Elphinstone    .  .  . .  . .     214 

Emu 104 

Empress  of  the  Seas  189,273 

Escort  247 

Esk..  247 

Essex  (Wigram's)        273,  279.  299, 

303 


INDEX 


329 


Essex  (Mai  shall  s) 
Europa 


PACE 

279, 303 
..      301 


Fairlie  217 

Falcon  .  .  . .  . .  78,  79 

Falkland  (Indian  Marine)  216,  220, 

221 
Farmyard  at  Sea       . .  . .        69 

Fast  Passages  of  East  India- 
men  . .  . .  . .        52 

Ferooz  (Indian  Marine)        216,  220 
Fiery  Cross    ..  ..  ..      165 

Figureheads  . .  .  .  . .        19 

Ftre  Queen     . .  .  .  . .      303 

Florence  Nightingale  . .      247 

Flying  Ftsh   ..  . .  79,  82 

Flying  Venus  .  .  . .      276 

Forward  Ho  . .  .  .  . .      247 

Foulerton,  Commander  Alex- 
ander ..  216,223,224 
Furnell,  Captain  James       . .      151 
Fusilier          . .          . .  . .     250 

Futtay  Salam  ,.  ..     217 


General  Goddard 

39 

Geordie  brigs,  account  of 

55-59 

George  (of  Salem) 

..      187 

George  the  Fourth 

..      106 

George  Green 

..      108 

George  Gilray 

..      249 

Gipsy  Bride   . . 

..      273 

Glenlora 

..      250 

Globe 

25 

Glortana 

161 

178,  299 

Goddard,  Captain 

282,  293 

Godfrey,  Captain 

..      177 

Golden  Fleece 

..      277 

Golden  Spur  . . 

247, 249 

Golden  South 

156,  157 

G OS  forth 

..      302 

Gravesend  packet 

61 

Great  Tasmania 

145, 273 

Green,  Dicky 

103,  282 

Green,  Frederick 

..      161 

Green,  George 

36,  161 

Green's  houseflag 

origin 

of           47 

Green,  R.  &  H.    1 

30,  131, 
H 

161,237, 
238 

Haley  of  Sydney, 

C.B. 

..      170 

Hampshtre     . . 

.. 

..     3C1 

Hampshire     .  .  . .  . .      303 

Harbinger       . .  . .  . .      293 

Harlequin       .  .  .  .  79,  82 

Harris,  Captain  F'ortcscue  ..      152 
Harrison,  Captain  N.  246.  248,  259 
Harry  Warren  (opium  steamer)  144 
Hastings  (receiving  ship,  Bom- 
bay)   214 

Haswell  of  Sunderland         . .     235 
Hayara  ..  . .  .  .      264 

Helen  Malcolm  ..  ..     248 

Htghflyer  184,274,278,303 

Hmdostan  (P.  &  O.)  .  .      145 

Holmsdale  . .  266,  302,  317,  323 
Hooghly  River,  account  of  . .  96 
Hotspur  124,  125,  128,  134.  136. 
146-148,  177-179,  275,  301,  310-313 
Hougotnont     ..  .,  ..      301 

Hyderabad      ..  ..         235,  299 

I 

I mniortalite,  H. M.S.               ..  246 

Inconstant,  H.M.S 246 

India  husband           . .          . .  50 

Indian  Empire           . .          . .  244 

Inverness        ..  179,247,248 

Invershie         .  .          . .          . .  179 

Isabella           .  .          . .          . .  85 

Isle  of  Anglesey          ..          ..  245 

Isle  of  Dogs,  origin  of  name  31 


Java,  East  Indiaman  . .      106 

Jehangees        . .          . .  . .      276 

Jerusalem       . .          .  .  246,  277 

Jessica             . .          . .  . .      215 

John  Elder     .  .           . .  . .      263 

John  McVtccui           ..  ..      142 

Johnson,     Sir    Henry,  ship- 
builder       .  .          .  .  25,  30 

Johnstone,  sole  survivor  of 

Dunbar       ..          . .  205,  210 


Kent      131,  137,  185-191.  196.  197, 
200,  202,  244,  273,  301 
Kent,  East     Indiaman,    des- 
troyed by  fire         . .          . .  45 

Kennaley,  Captain    . .          . .  265 

Khersonese      . .           .  .          . .  244 

Kidd,  the  pirate,  fight  with,  12 

Kingdom  of  Belgium              ..  179 

King,  Watson  &  Co.              .  •  269 

Kitty 58 


330 


THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 


Knight  Commander 
Knowles,  Captain 


PAGE 

145,  247 
..      185 


301 

217 
144 


161 
235,  237 
229,  230 
..  213 
..  140 
..  162 
95 


La  Hague     133,  137.  236,  237,  282, 

301 
Lady  Ann 
Lady  Falkland  (Bombay  S.N. 

Co.)  

Lady  Franklin 
Lady  Macdonald       ..         110,300 
Lady  Melville       185,  235,  267-269, 

302, 
Laing,  Charles 
Laing  of  Sunderland 
Lammermuir 
Lang,  Oliver 
Lay,  Captain 
Lecky,  Captain 
Leon 
Lewis,  T.  E.  (1st  lieutenant 

of  Punjaub)  . .         225-227 

Lightning        .  .  . .  •  •      273 

Ltncelles         ..  ..         267.302 

Loch  Etive      . .  »       . .  .  •      233 

Loch  Garry     .  •  . .  •  •      261 

London  ..  .  .  193,  194 

Lord  Lyndoch  (convict  ship)       105 
Lord  Warden  125.    126,   236, 

278.  303 
Lord  Wellington        . .  .  •       52 

Lowther  Castle  ..  51.  106 

Lulu 247 

Lyttleton         247 

M 

Macquarie  {see  Melbourne) 
McLeod.  Captain  Norman   ..      142 
Madagascar    ..  152-154,299 

Maddison,  Captain  J.  180.  184 

Madge  Wildfire         ..  ..      217 

Maidofjudah  ..  ..277 

Maidstone       . .  .  .         273.  299 

Maitland  (convict  ship)        .  .      105 
Malabar  236.272,    274.    302 

Manilla  241 

Marco  Polo  177.  187.  188.  191,  273 
Maria  Grey    ..  ..  ..      217 

Maria  Sontes  .  .  .  .      141 

Alarion  .  ■  •  •  ■  ■      HO 

Marlborough  (Smith's)         109,  137, 
160,  167-169,  178,  300 
Marlborough,  H.M.S.  . .  74,  75 

Marpheza       . .  . .  . .      250 

Marsden.  Captain     ..  ..     290 


Marshall,  George 

Mary  A  nn  (convict  ship) 

Mary  Scott     . . 

Mauritius 

Maury.  Commander 

Mayo,     A.  (midshipman 

Punjaub)    .  . 
Medway 
Melbourne  {Macquarie) 


PAGB 

161,  176,  235 
..  105 
..      179 

144,  242 
..      169 
of 
225-227 


103,  290- 
294,  303 

Melbourne  (transport)  .  .      217 

Merchant  Adventurers,  arm.s  of  24 
Merchantman  . .         236,  301 

Mermerus       . .  . .         261.  289 

Merse  217 

Mexborough  (convict  ship)  105 

Mexican         . .  . .  .  .        94 

Middlesex       . .  274.  277.  303 

Miltiades        289 

Minden  300 

Minerva  ..  . .  95.  300 

Mirzapore       . .  . .  . .      217 

Mitchel  Grove  ..  ..      176 

Monarch       140.  lbU-162.  167,  185, 
273   299 


Montriou,  Commander 

..      216 

Moore,  Captain 

..      234 

Moravian 

..      246 

Morning  Star,   captured 

bv 

pirates 

86-90 

Moulmein  shipyard 

109.  110 

Murillo 

..      185 

Murray 

124,  125 

Mystery 

..      214 

N 

Narcissus 

..      246 

Navigation,  in  Blackwall  fri- 

gates 

..      Ill 

Navy,  in  the  Dutch  Wars 

6 

Navy,   of   the   Stuarts. 

5,  8,  27 

Nelson 

..      247 

Nemesis   (P.  &  O.)    .  . 

..      145 

Newcastle      120,  145.  236, 

239-245. 

227,  302 

iVi/e  (Green's) 

239,  300 

Nile  (Dunbar's) 

..      300 

Norfolk           . .      262-264 

273.  302 

North  Atlantic 

..      145 

Northampton 

..      137 

Northfleet       ..     137.173 

185.  301 

Northumberland,  ss. 

..     292 

Nubia  (P.  &  O.) 

..      145 

0 

Oberon 

..      250 

INDEX 


331 


PAOE 

Ocean  Chie     . . 

. .      273 

Octavia 

..      301 

Orievt 

..      277 

Oriental 

131,  132 

Oneida  (R.M.S.) 

.  .      264 

Orwell 

268. 273 

Owen  Glendower  154.  155,  200,273, 

299 


Palinurus  (surveying  brig)  ..  214 
Pantaloon.  H.M.S.  . .  79,  81.  82 
Parramatta    137.  236.  281,  282.  293 

303 
Patrician        .  .          . .          •  •      302 
Peeress                        ■  ■          •  •     302 
Pepvs.  Samuel,  visits   Black- 
wall  29 

Perry,  John,  shipbuilder  . .  34 
Perseverance  . .  . .  •  •      105 

Phtlo 217 

Phoebe  299 

Phoebe  Dunbar  .  .  .  .      300 

Pile  of  Sunderland    .  .  235-237 

Pilot.  H.M.S.  . .  . .        79 

Pinta 94.  95 

Pique  ..  .  .  79,  80 

Pirates  of  19th  century  . .  84 
Poictiers  . .  . .         235,  299 

Poonah  244 

Porteous,  Captain  T.  L.  . .  179 
Pottinger  (P.  ScO.)    ..  ..      217 

Precursor  (P.  &  O.)  .  .  215,  217 

Prince  of  the  Seas      .  .  .  .      273 

Prince  of  Wales  (Green's)  160,  167. 
185.  273.  299 
Prince  of  Wales.  H.M.S.      . .       81 

Prowse,  J 170 

Punjaub  (see  The  Tweed)  212-229 
Pyramus         ..  ..  ••      102 


Q 


79 


Gueew.  H.M.S. 

Queen  (Wigram's)         160.  167,  299 

Queen  (Indian  Marine)        214,  215 

R 

Rai ah  of  Cochin         ..          ..  217 
Raleigh.  Sir  Walter,  authority 

on  ships      . .          . .          .  •  5 

Rainbow         . .           .  .           •  •  247 
Ramilhes        . .          . .         235.  300 

Red  Jacket     ..          ..          ..  273 

Reed.  J 266 

Reed,  Captain  D 266 


PAGE 

iJewoti'n  (opium  steamer)      ..      144 

Renown  (Green's)        145.  244,  272, 

274, 302 

Resolute  301 

Result  .  .  .  .  217,  267 

Revenue  cuttter,  description  of   72 
Roderick  Dhu  ..  ..      217 

River    pirates  . .  59-60 

Robin  Hood   .  .  . .  •  •      165 

Rodney  300 

Rota 247 

Routine  aboard  an  ludiaman        82 

Roxburgh  Castle  102,153,154, 

184,  235,  236,  273,  301 

Royal  Albert 299 

Royal  Charter  . .  ■  ■      155 

Rupert,  Prince,  fighting   in- 
structions of  .  .  .  .  6 
Rupert,  Prince,    interest    in 

shipbuilding  . .  . .        29 

Russia  (see  Mauritius) 


Sails,  evolution  of     . .  . .        10 

Sail  drill  on  men  of  war  73,  74 

Salamanca     ..  ••  ••     301 

Salamis           ..  ..  261,289 

Saldanha        . .  . .  •  •     273 

Salisbury        .  .  ■  ■  •  •     303 

Samuel  PlinisoU  ..  ■■     261 

Scaleby  Castle  . .  •  •      100 

Sea  naturalist  .  .  .  •      1 1 1 

Seafarer          . .  . •  •  •      288 

Semiramis  215.  216,  220-225 

Senator           . .  ■  •  •  •     288 

Scringapatam  132.  150-154.  157, 

Shakespeare's  knowledge  of 

sea  terms  . .  . .  •  •         * 

Shannon         . .  Til-T,^.  303 

Shewan,  Captain  Andrew    . .      230 
Shuner.  Captain  H.  . .      266 

Shipwrights' strike   ..  ..       48 

Sibella 217 

Sierra  Morena  .  .  ■  •      286 

Sir  J.  Jejeebhoy  (Bombay 

S.N.  Co.) 217 

S%r  Robert  Lees  ..  ■■      144 

Sir  Robert  Sale  . .  •  •      299 

Sir  Robert  Sep  ping  ..  .  .      179 

Smith.  T.  &  W.,  shipowners 

107.  119,  131 
Smith.  Captain  John  ..      21)0 

Sna^e.  H.M.S.  ..  81-82 

Snodgrass,  Gabriel   . .  .  •       33 


832 


THE  BLACKWALL  FRIGATES 


PAOB 

Solo         247 

Somes,  Joseph  . .         104,  236 

Southampton      157,  169,  170,  273, 

299 
Sovereign  of  the  Seas,  No.  2  , .      273 


Spartan,  H.M.S. 
Stag,  H.M.S.  . . 
Star  of  India 
Star  of  Scotia 
St.  Helena  festivities 
St.  Lawrence        123, 

St.  Vincent     . . 
Statesman  (Marshall's) 


Suffolk 
Sultana 
Superb 
Surrey 


79 
81 
274,  303 
..      250 
..      100 
124,  137,  148, 
274-277,303 
..      291 
177,  235, 
300 
Statesman  (South  Sea  trader) 

194.  195 
Stuart,  Captain,  of  The  Tweed 

229, 233 
137.  264,  273,  302 
215,301 
103,  283.  287,  288,  290,303 

302 

Susan,  East  Indiaman  86.  87 

Sussex  ..     166,  167,  273,  301 

Sutlej.  burning  of      . .         170,  300 
Swanson.  Captain  J.  264,  282 

Swiftsure         ..  . .  267.  268 

Symondites,  account  of       . .       79 


Talevera  ..  124.276,301 

Tapping  the  admiral  . .        95 

Taylor.  Captain  Robert      238,241 

Terris.  Will 184 

Thames      51.  52.  62.  63,  66,  67.  70, 

78,  82,  96,  98.  100,  101 

Thames  City  . .  ..  ..      217 

Thermopylae  .  .  .  .  .  •      136 

The  Tweed    136.211.212.230-234. 

281.  301.  314-316 
Thomas  Coutts  ..  45.  106 

Thomas  Stephens       .  .  . .      234 

Thule  84 

Thunder         .  .  .  .  .  .      144 

Tickell,  Captain  George      157,164 

Topai  246 

Toynbee,  Captain  Henry    116,118 
136,  146.  177,  178 
Trafalgar  (Green's)     120.  125.  120, 
172,  173,  300 
Trafalgar  (Dunbar's)  235,  300 

True  Briton  (No.  1)  ..40 

True  Bnlon  (No.  3)  274,  303 

Tudor  ..  140,  161,  299 


PAGT! 

Tyhurma      239,  240.  259,  260.  264 
265  320.. 


Vaile,  Captain 
Vanguard,  H.M.S.     .  . 
Vernon  (Green's)         139. 
156,  157^ 
Vernon,  H.M.S. 
Victoria  (Indian  Marine) 


..      142 

79 
154.  155. 
247. 299 
79.  81 
215,216. 
220,  221 

..      167 

..  144 
236,  301 

..  302 
203,  204 

..     246 


Victory 

Ville  de  St.  Denis 

Vimiera 

Vittoria 

Vocalist 

Volage.  H.M.S. 

W 

Wadias.  master  shipbuilders       212 
Wagstafi.  Captain    . .  . .      237 

Walker,  Captain        ..  ..      140 

W^alker.  C.  B 279 

Walker,  Captain  W.  H.        ..      162 
W aimer  Castle  ..  236.301 

War  Eagle  (opium  steamer)        144 
Waterwitch.  R.Y.S.   . .  80,  82 

Wave  of  Life  . .  ..211 

Webb.  Captain  John  Sydney     178 
Weller.  Captain         ..  ..      141 

Wellesley         ..     169.170,273,299 

151 

166, 

148 

80 

273 

..   233 

37 

104,  130,  131 

. .   84 

229,  234 

288 

4.  145,  241.  243 


Westminster   .  . 

Whall,  Captain  W.  Boultbee 

123-125,  128,  136.  146 
White  of  Cowes,  shipbuilder 

White  Star 

Whyte,  Captain  J.  M. 
Wigram.  Sir  Robert 
Wigram.  Money 
William  Miles 
Willis,  John  .  . 
Wilson.  John  H. 
Winchester    123,  1 

275,  276,  302 

Windsor  Castle  (Green's)    133.  137, 

236  245-250.  258-262.  302 

Windsor  Castle  (D.  Rose's)         261 


269-273.  302 


Yorkshire 

Young  America 

Young.  Captain  Allen  W.    .  . 

Young,  Commander  John  W. 


168 
215 


Zemindar 


203.  204,  247 


'^1 


This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below 


SEP 


1  2  1932'^^^jjj)^M   I 


JAN  1  0  1^5 
APR  ?fri935 


GCrr  21>^tSS'^ 


c:: 


9EC 


ni 


H 

DEC  2  4  1951 


IVPR2  21958 

Form  L-9-15m-7 '31 


2  8  1964 


t 


B    4l97e 

4  1978' 


3   1158  00165  4887 


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